? 


•? 

J.  far 


THE  SHADOW 

OF 
QUONG  LUNG 


By  the  Same  Author 

THE  TAMING  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

I2mo.     Clot  A,  Oriental  Design,  $1.00 

"  The  most  notable  new  book  of  the 
hour." — Philadelphia  Record 

"  'The  Taming  of  the  Jungle'  is  one 
of  the  most  striking  books  of  Indian  life 
that  we  have  seen  since  Mr.  Kipling  pro 
duced  his  '  Plain  Tales  from  the  Hills,' 
and  it  does  not  suffer  by  comparison  with 
the  work  that  made  Mr.  Kipling  famous. 
Indeed,  if  Dr.  Doyle  had  been  first  in 
the  field  we  venture  to  think  that  Mr. 
Kipling's  work  would  have  been  adjudged 
less  good  than  this  later  effort." — New 
Tork  Literature 


THE  SHADOW 


OF 


QUONG  LUNG 


BY 


DR.  C.  W.  DOYLE 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  TAMING  OF  THE  JUNGLE" 


PHILADELPHIA   &   LONDON 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY 

1900 


Copyright,  1899 
By  Dr.  C.  W.  Doyle 


Electrotyped  and  Printed  by 
J.  B.  Lippincott  Company,  Philadelphia,   U.  S.  A. 


TO 

AMBROSE   BIERCE, 

THE    GENTLEST,   THE    BRAVEST,   AND 
THE    KINDEST    OF    MEN,  THIS 

LITTLE  BOOK 

IS    AFFECTIONATELY    DEDICATED    BY 
HIS    GRATEFUL    PUPIL. 


PREFACE 

THIS  does  not  set  forth  to  be  that  detest 
able  thing,  a  "  book  with  a  purpose" ; 
but  if  it  should  incidentally  draw  attention 
to  the  terrible  conditions  of  life  of  the  slave 
girls  in  Chinatown,  and  if  any  amelioration 
of  those  conditions  should  ensue,  I  shall  feel 
that  I  have  not  written  in  vain.  The  kid 
napping  of  Moy  Yen,  as  told  in  the  chapters 
entitled  "  The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung," 
can  be  matched  by  many  cases  that  have 
actually  occurred  in  Chinatown. 

Of  course,  the  best  thing  to  do  with 
Chinatown  would  be  to  burn  it  down ;  but 
the  scheme  is  too  Utopian  to  be  discussed  in 
a  mere  preface. 

By  the  courtesy  of  the  San  Francisco 
Examiner,  I  have  been  enabled  to  incorporate 
the  last  three  chapters  of  "  The  Wings  of 
7 


Preface 

Lee  Toy"  with  Part  IV.  The  said  chapters 
constituted  a  short  story  that  appeared  in 
the  Examiner  December  19,  1897,  and  was 
awarded  the  prize  that  had  been  offered  by 
that  paper  for  a  short  Christmas  story. 

"  The  Seats  of  Judgment"  won  the  prize 
offered  by  the  Argonaut  for  a  short  story  in 
1898 ;  and  it  is  by  the  kindness  of  that  best 
of  weekly  journals  that  I  am  enabled  to  re 
produce  the  story  in  this  volume. 

C.  W.  DOYLE. 

SANTA  CRUZ,  CALIFORNIA, 
October,  1899. 


CONTENTS 

PART   I 

FAGB 

The  Illumination  of  Lee  May n 

PART   II 

The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung      41 

PART   III 

A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 123  / 

PART   IV 
The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 171 

PART   V 
The  Seats  of  Judgment 2 


PART  I 

¥ 

The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 


THAT  THERE   ARE   WORSE    THINGS 
THAN   CHINESE   GIN 

A  FEW  months  ago  the  passengers  on 
the  lower  end  of  Kearney  Street,  near 
Clay  Street,  San  Francisco,  were  startled  by 
the  shrill  cries  of  a  pretty,  well-dressed  young 
Chinese  woman  in  hot  pursuit  of  a  sturdy 
little  Oriental  about  four  years  old  with  a 
budding  pig-tail.  The  little  man  had  a  good 
start,  but  he  ran  in  a  curious  fashion,  with 
outstretched  arms  and  feet  planted  far  apart, 
and  with  a  rolling,  unsteady  gait. 

"  My  bibi,  my  bibi !"  shrilled  the  woman 
in  pidgin  English ;  "  slop  him,  my  lil  Lee 
Moy,  slop  him  ! — he  dlunk  !  he  dlunk  !" 

He  was  too  young  to  have  acquired  a 
taste  for  sam  shu  (Chinese  gin),  and  yet  he 
'3 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

ran  strangely,  and  if  he  were  not  stopped  he 
would  certainly  run  into  the  car  that  was 
even  then  crossing  Clay  Street. 

As  he  stepped  off  the  curb  he  swerved  and 
ran  into  the  hind  wheel  of  a  carriage  that 
was  drawn  up  at  the  corner.  The  young 
lady  who  was  in  the  carriage  got  out  in 
stantly  and  lifted  the  little  man  up.  He 
was  bleeding  from  a  cut  on  the  forehead, — 
and  he  was  in  a  gorgeous  rage,  striking 
wildly  about  him  and  saying,  "  Dam  you ! 
lemme  go !  lemme  go !"  and  his  breath 
reeked  of  ardent  waters.  His  knowledge  of 
English  was  almost  limited  to  expletives, 
such  as  befitted  his  breath,  and  such  as  go 
hand  in  hand  with  the  march  of  civilization 
and  help  to  establish  it  amongst  the  heathen. 

The  young  lady  carried  him  into  the 
carriage,  whilst  he  fought  and  swore  furi 
ously. 

"  It  mine — the  bibi   mine  ;   glim  to  me ; 
he  only  dlunk,"  said  the  Chinese  woman  as 
14 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

she  scrambled  into  the  carnage.  But  the 
Fair  Samaritan  held  a  blood-dabbled  hand- 
herchief  to  the  little  one's  head  with  the 
resolve  of — a  Samaritan.  Some  one  in  the 
crowd  round  the  carriage,  guessing  the  situa 
tion,  shut  the  door  and  instructed  the  coach 
man  to  drive  to  the  Receiving  Hospital. 

The  cool  young  gentleman  who  dressed 
the  child's  wound  at  the  hospital  might  have 
been  embarrassed  by  the  mother's  hysterical 
manifestations  and  utterances  of  distrust,  had 
not  her  sister  of  the  West  taken  her  hand 
and  quieted  her  by  the  magical  touch  of 
sympathy. 

"  It  is  not  much?"  asked  the  Fair  Samaritan. 

"  No ;  but  the  little  beggar's  awfully 
drunk — pardon  me  for  telling  the  truth — and 
he  ought  to  be  spanked,"  answered  the 
youthful  leech,  regarding  his  interlocutor 
with  a  look  of  admiration,  now  that  he  had 
time  for  other  things  than  mere  dressings 
and  bandages. 

15 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Drunk  V  she  queried  in  a  tone  of  hor 
ror.  "  Oh,  yes,  I  remember  now,"  she  went 
on ;  "  his  mother  said  he  was  in  that  con 
dition.  How  dreadful ! — and  the  child  is  so 
young !" 

The  mother  took  her  little  one  into  her 
arms  after  the  last  pin  had  been  adjusted. 
She  regarded  those  about  her — especially  the 
young  surgeon — with  a  curious  suspicion. 
("Devils  they  be,  without  doubt.  White 
Devils!"  she  thought  to  herself.  "And  I 
fear  even  their  gifts ;  and  perchance  they 
look  with  the  Evil  Eye.")  On  the  same 
principle  she  rejected  the  ten-dollar  gold- 
piece  that  the  young  lady  had  put  into  the 
palm  of  Lee  Moy.  But  the  kindness  and 
the  consideration  that  had  been  shown  to  her 
and  her  little  one  had  their  due  effect,  so  that 
she  relented  to  the  extent  of  giving  her 
address.  She  was  Suey  Yep,  of  the  house 
hold  of  Lee  Chung,  who  was  a  merchant  on 
Jackson  Street.  She  would  even  accept 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

conveyance  to  her  home  in  the  white 
woman's  carriage.  For  the  lady  with  the 
fair  hair  had  a  countenance  that  begat  confi 
dence,  as  one  found  on  further  reflection. 

Yes ;  she  would  certainly  bring  Lee  Moy 
to-morrow  and  have  his  wound  dressed ;  and 
she  would  not  give  him  any  more  sam  shu 
to-night, — if  the  Heaven  Born  wished  it. 

The  Heaven  Born  did  wish  it. 

Then,  turning  to  the  doctor,  Suey  Yep 
went  on  :  "  But,  always,  you  will  know  that 
Lee  Moy  is  dlunk.  Is  it  not  so,  Light  of 
Mine  Eyes?"  she  queried,  caressing  the 
little  one.  And  Lee  Moy  nodded  his  head 
solemnly  and  stared  vacantly  before  him. 

"You  see,"  she  resumed,  "  you  see,  he  no 
play  when  he  no  dlunk,  but  sit  and  sit  and 
say  nulling.  So  I  give  him  sam  shu, — one, 
two,  tlee  dlinks ;  and  then  he  clap  his  hands, 
and  say  he  see  birds  and  flowers;  and  he 
laugh  and  dance,  and  then  my  heart  laugh 
and  dance.  But  to  sit  and  sit  and  no  play, 

• 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

— that  is  bad  for  Lee  Moy.  Eh,  Light  in 
Darkness1?"  And  Lee  Moy  again  nodded 
slowly,  and  said  in  his  own  tongue  :  "  Home, 
mother ;  take  me  home.  It  is  night,  and 
the  light  sleepeth,  so  that  I  cannot  see  to 
play  any  more." 

"  Hush,  Sun  at  Noon.  Thou  art  but 
tired."  She  glanced  suspiciously  at  the 
young  medico  whilst  she  whispered  to  the 
little  one,  as  though  she  feared  the  White 
Devil  might  have  understood  her. 

"  Yes,  I  am  tired,  tired ; — and  'tis  very 
dark.  And  I  would  sleep,  for  'tis  night,  and 
very  dark." 

Now,  the  sun  was  at  high  noon. 

"  This  is  a  very  interesting  case,"  said  the 
young  diagnostician,  adjusting  his  pince-nez 
preparatory  to  airing  his  learning — and  his 
lack  of  tact.  "Our  patient  is  drunk,  to 
begin  with " 

"Velly,  velly  dlunk !— tha's  all,"  inter 
rupted  Lee  Moy's  mother. 

18 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

"Yes ;  he's  drunk,  and  he's "  The  man 

of  science  hesitated,  looking  at  the  slant-eyed 
woman,  who  regarded  him  suspiciously. 

"  Yes*?"  queried  the  Fair  Samaritan. 

"  And  he's  blind, — stone-blind." 

"Blind!— Lee  Moy  blind?"  shrieked  the 
mother.  "  No,  no ;  oh,  no  !  See,  he  only 
dlunk — velly  dlunk — velly  dlunk  !  I  make 
him  dlunk  myself — with  sam  shu" 

As  she  ran  out  of  the  door  with  her  son 
in  her  arms,  she  lapsed  into  her  native 
tongue :  "  Lee  Moy,  Lee  Moy !"  she 
moaned,  hugging  the  little  one  to  her 
bosom  ;  "  thou  art  not  blind,  son  of  mine ; 
not  blind,  not  blind !  See,  I  made  thee 
drunk,  and  the  waters  were  too  strong,  and 
thou  couldst  not  see  therefor." 

They  watched  her  as  she  ran  across  the 
street,  attracting  the  attention  of  the  passen 
gers  by  her  frantic  haste  and  her  passionate 
utterances. 

"  A  very  pretty  case,"  said  the  young 
19 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

medico  in  a  half  soliloquy ;  "  a  very  pretty 
case.  But  I've  frightened  the  woman  out 
of  her  senses, — and  she'll  never  come  back, 
— and  I  should  like  to  have  seen  the  little 
beggar  again." 

"  To  find  out  the  cause  of  his  blindness, 
and  whether  it  is  remediable*?"  asked  the 
young  woman  with  an  earnestness  that 
puckered  her  brow  for  an  instant. 

"  Yes." 

"Will  ten  o'clock  to-morrow  morning 
suit  you  ?" 

"  Admirably  ; — but  you  won't  succeed." 

"Good-evening,  sir,"  and  she  smiled 
gravely  as  she  stepped  into  her  carriage. 


II 

WHEN    GREEK    MEETS    GREEK 


F I  ^HE  next  morning,  at  nine  o'clock, 
-*•  there  came  to  the  store  of  Lee  Chung 
a  well-appointed  carriage  with  two  men  in 
livery  on  the  box.  One  of  them  opened 
the  door  of  the  carriage,  from  which  the 
Fair  Samaritan  alighted  with  an  armful  of 
parcels. 

"This  is  Lee  Chung's  store ? — you  are 
Lee  Chung4?"  she  asked  of  the  well-to-do 
Chinaman  who  sat  smoking  behind  the 
counter. 

"  Whall  you  want  *?"  was  the  tentative 
reply. 

"  I  want  ten  pounds  of  the  best  tea  you 
have  for  sale." 

"  Ten  pounds  *?"  asked  the  Chinaman  with 

21 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

some  astonishment.  "  Ten  pound  cos'  two 
hundud  dolla.  You  no  wan'  ee  so  much." 

For  answer,  she  put  ten  double-eagles  on 
the  counter.  "  And  whilst  you  are  making 
up  the  parcel  I  would  like  to  see  Lee  Moy." 

"  Lee  Moy  !     Who  Lee  Moy  ?" 

"Oh,  well,  if  you  don't  know,  I  don't 
think  I  want  the  tea,"  replied  the  young  lady 
with  the  serious  face. 

Now  Lee  Chung  had  obligations  to  meet ; 
and  the  New  Year  was  at  hand,  when  all 
Chinamen  in  good  standing  pay  their  debts ; 
and  two  hundred  dollars  would  make  him  an 
Honorable  Man.  Besides,  the  white  woman 
appeared  to  be  honest, — and  she  certainly 
had  a  carriage  with  two  horses  champing 
silver  bits !  and  two  men-servants  who 
waited  on  her  !  She  would,  doubtless,  come 
again  if  the  tea  suited  her.  And  Quong 
Lung,  his  creditor  (smooth,  fat  hog !)  sat  on 
his  very  soul,  and  flouted  him  openly  when 
they  met. 


22 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

"  We  drink  fifty  pounds  of  tea  every  year 
at  my  house,"  said  the  fair  White  Devil ;  "  and 
Quong  Lung,  whose  name  I  see  on  these 
packages  (pointing  to  the  tea),  doubtless  sells 
you  better  tea  than  he  sells  us.  I  have  been 
told  you  are  an  honest  man,  and  to  be 
trusted;  but  you  don't  know  where  Lee 
Moy  is ;  and  Quong  Lung  is  not  an  honest 
man." 

Were  ever  such  arguments  ! — and  was 
ever  such  luck  before  !  Here  was  a  chance 
of  paying  Quong  Lung  in  full,  and  of 
answering  his  jeers  with  hard  cash ;  and  of 
establishing  a  retail  trade  at  fifty  per  cent, 
profit  of  not  less  than  one  thousand  dollars 
a  year  !  Besides,  the  trade  of  those  who 
drink  tea  at  the  houses  of  people  who  keep 
horses  and  carriages  and  men-servants  was 
not  to  be  despised. 

Then,  too,  the  woman  was  young;  and 
of  a  beautiful  countenance  that  could  not 
harbor  lies, — although  her  eyes  were  set  a 
23 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

littte  too  straight  in  her  head ;  but  to  meet 
Quong  Lung  to-morrow,  and  look  him  in 
the  face ! 

"  Well ;  Lee  Moy  up  'tairs.      You  wan' 
see  him fc?     Come  ;  I  show  you." 


Ill 


THAT    FLOWERS    MAY    GROW   IN  A 
DARK   ROOM 

THIS  is  what  the  Fair  Samaritan  saw 
after  she  had  climbed  the  dark  stairs 
behind  the  store  and  peeped  into  a  room  that 
was  in  semi-darkness,  whilst  she  repressed 
Lee  Chung  with  a  warning  finger  that  en 
forced  silence.  It  was  a  room  of  consider 
able  dimensions,  with  a  low  ceiling.  The 
windows  were  so  ill-placed,  besides  being 
barricaded,  that  the  room  was  in  a  twilight 
gloom,  although  the  day  was  bright  without. 
Its  furniture  was  curiously  disposed  close 
against  the  walls,  thus  leaving  a  wide  space  in 
its  midst.  And  in  the  room  the  woman  Suey 
Yep  was  taking  part  with  the  little  Lee  Moy 
in  what  was  evidently  a  daily  occurrence. 
25 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

With  palms  folded  suppliantly  before  her, 
she  regarded  Lee  Moy  with  a  look  of  inex 
pressible  love  tinged  with  sadness.  He  was 
hitting  wildly  about  him  with  a  toy  whip, 
and  shouting  angrily,  his  language  being 
punctuated  by  strong  Anglo-Saxon  ex 
pletives. 

"  Dam  you,  mother  !  Why  cometh  not 
the  sun?" 

She  submitted  with  the  patience  of  an 
Oriental  to  the  imperious  language  of  my 
Lord,  her  Man-Child. 

"  Oh,  son  of  mine,"  she  replied  with  in 
finite  tenderness ;  "  the  sun  is  still  at  Pekin, 
drying  his  hair, — for  he  hath  but  now  risen 
from  his  ocean  bed.  When  he  hath  had 
his  morning  meal,  and  washed  his  face  with 
dew,  and  decked  himself  with  marigolds,  he 
will  mount  clouds  of  purple  and  gold  and 
amber,  and  come  to  San  Francisco." 

"  Do  they  of  Pekin  see  more  of  him  than 

we  do?" 

26 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

"  Yes,  son.  Oh,  would  we  were  there  !" 
she  sobbed ;  "  for  the  sun  always  shines 
there,  but  here  it  is  mostly  dark." 

"  We  will  go  there,  mother ;  at  once !" 
He  held  up  his  hand  for  his  mother  to 
take. 

"  But  it  is  a  long  and  stony  road  from 
here  to  Pekin,  and  we  must  eat  and  drink 
before  we  start." 

She  led  him  to  a  little  table,  and  set 
cakes  before  him  and  a  cup  of  tea, — which 
she  fortified  with  a  generous  draught  of 
sam  shu. 

When  he  had  satisfied  his  appetite,  she 
prepared  him  another  cup  similarly  sophisti 
cated,  and  set  it  before  him. 

"  Drink  once  more,"  she  said  ;  "  for  when 
we  have  left  San  Francisco  we  shall  have  no 
more  tchah  (tea)  till  we  reach  Pekin." 

And  the  little  man  drank  as  he  was  di 
rected,  and  prepared  for  his  daily  flight  across 

— the  world. 

27 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"Mother,"  he  said,  "I  would  have  thee 
remember  that  the  white  yee-sung  (physi 
cian)  will  expect  us  soon.  Hasten,  there 
fore." 

Round  and  round  the  room  she  led  him  in 
tortuous  fashion. 

"A  great  wind  cometh,"  she  said  once; 
"  and  we  are  on  the  sea.  Beware  !"  She 
fanned  him  vigorously,  simulating  a  gale, 
whilst  he  drew  a  boatswain's  whistle  from 
his  blouse,  and  blew  it  loudly. 

"  The  passage  is  serious,  my  Lord,"  said 
Suey  Yep ;  "  and  we  shall  scarce  weather 
the  storm — unless  we  order  it  safe." 

"  Order  it  safe ;  and  proceed." 

"  How  shall  that  be,  my  Lord  Captain  ?" 

"  Throw  Jonah  overboard, — he  that  the 
White  Devils  tell  of  at  the  Mission,  where  I 
go  sometimes  for  the  sweetmeats." 

"  It  is  done,  my  Captain,"  said  Suey  Yep, 
overturning  a  chair  ;  "  and  the  great  fish  hath 

swallowed  him." 

28 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

They  resumed  their  journey  about  and 
about  the  room,  she  prattling  to  him  the 
while. 

"  The  sea  that  was  black  and  reflected  the 
stars  is  paler,  my  Lord ;  and  the  moon  hath 
fled." 

"  The  morn  cometh,  mother." 

"  Canst  see  the  light  in  the  east,  my  little 
Lee  Moy?" 

"  Yea,  mother." 

As  she  drew  him  past  the  household 
shrine,  she  took  therefrom  a  burning  punk 
and  waved  it  before  his  face. 

"  I  perceive,  too,  the  smoke  of  Pekin," 
said  Lee  Moy. 

"  5Tis  time,  then,  to  drink  more  tchah  ere 
we  set  foot  in  the  Flowery  Land." 

Once  more  she  plied  him  with  the  tea  that 
deceived. 

"  The  sun  cometh,  mother,"  he  said  soon 
after. 

"  Is  he  alone  this  morning  *?" 
29 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  No,  mother ;  his  attendants  be  with  him 
in  shining  robes." 

"  Canst  see  the  land  ahead  ?" 

"  Yes,  Suey  Yep.     Oh,  make  haste  !" 

"  We  are  there,  Great  Traveller,"  she  said 
presently,  as  she  called  a  halt. 

"  Oh,  son  of  mine,"  she  went  on,  tk  it  was 
a  great  journey  ! — and  full  of  perils  ! — and 
the  way  was  dark  !  But  we  are  now  in  our 
own  country,  and  the  young  light  is  abroad. 
Is  it  not  so  ?" 

The  child  let  her  hand  go,  and  ran  forward 
a  step  or  two  tentatively,  with  outstretched 
arms  and  with  unsteady  gait. 

"  Is  this  my  meadow,  mother  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Assuredly,  Lee  Moy ;  and  see  it  is  car- 
petted  with  flowers  all  spangled  with  dew. 
Red  are  the  flowers,  and  gold,  and  pink,  and 
saffron ;  and  the  dew  thereon  is  of  many 
tints.  See,  my  son,  here  is  a  bunch  of 
violets  and  cherry  blossoms, — how  fragrant 
they  be !" — and  she  held  a  bunch  of  green 
30 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

leaves  that  had  been  dipped  in  a  tincture  of 
musk  to  his  face. 

"  And  the  steed,  Billy,  is  he  here  ?  and  my 
chariot*?"  he  asked  thickly. 

"  They  await  my  Lord." 

After  placing  him  in  a  wheeled  chair,  she 
donned  a  set  of  toy  harness  with  jingling 
bells ;  and  yoking  herself  to  the  chair,  she 
put  the  reins  in  his  hands. 

"  Glup  !  glup,  Billy !"  he  shouted,  cracking 
his  whip,  and  swearing  like  a  Saxon  for  the  en 
couragement  of  his  steed.  "  Glup,  damme  !" 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  the  Fair  Sa 
maritan  made  herself  known  to  those  in  the 
room.  She  tapped  on  the  toy  drum  that  she 
had  in  her  hand,  thus  arresting  the  progress 
of  the  scene  she  had  witnessed. 

"Good-morning,  Lee  Moy.  See  what  I 
have  brought  for  you ;"  and  she  slipped  the 
drum-strap  over  his  head.  "  And  here  is  a 
trumpet,  to  tell  of  your  coming  to  the  people 
of  Pekin." 

31 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

He  did  not  understand  the  Fair  Samari 
tan's  words,  but  her  voice  was  pleasant  and 
friendly, — and  the  drum  and  trumpet  were 
certainly  very  real.  He  stretched  his  hand 
towards  her,  and  Lee  Chung  said,  "  Lee  Moy 
like  feel  face." 

She  bent  her  face  to  the  little  one,  who 
lightly  passed  his  hand  over  it,  saying  aloud, 
"  Good,  good  !"  After  a  pause,  he  went  on 
gravely,  "  I  like  you.  I  go  see  yee-sung  with 
you." 

He  made  no  demur  as  she  carried  him 
down  to  her  carriage,  Suey  Yep  following 
in  their  wake  and  explaining,  "  He  heap 
dlunk,  you  see.  He  no  blind.  Tee-sung  no 
telle  he  blind." 

"  Perhaps  the  yee-sung  can  make  him  see 
flowers  and  dance  all  the  time,  Suey  Yep, — 
without  making  him  drunk." 

"  'Melican  yee-sung  can  do  that  *?" 

"  Sometimes ;  and  we  will  see  what  can 
be  done  to-day." 

32 


IV 


AN  INSTANCE  OF  "HEAVEN'S  PECULIAR 
FAVORS" 

"/^OOD-MORNING,  madam;  I  see  you 
^-*  have  succeeded,"  said  the  man  of 
science  as  the  Fair  Samaritan  carried  Lee 
Moy  into  the  surgery  of  the  Receiving 
Hospital. 

She  smiled  gravely  and  said,  "  Please  don't 
express  any  opinion  as  to  the  nature  of  this 
case  in  the  mother's  presence." 

There  was  present,  too,  a  brisk  little  man 
with  a  cheerful  countenance  and  a  kindly 
manner,  who  soon  ingratiated  himself  with 
Lee  Moy, — for  he  argued  with  candy. 
Cheerfulness  and  kindliness  and  candy  are 
means  not  to  be  excluded  from  the  arma* 
mentarium  even  of  specialists ;  and  (his 

3  33 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

specialist  had  become  famous  through  his 
use  of  them.  Even  Suey  Yep  thawed  in 
his  favor. 

The  blinds  were  drawn,  and  the  dressing 
of  Lee  Moy's  wound  was  done  by  the  light 
of  an  Argand  burner,  the  little  child  sitting 
on  the  Fair  Samaritan's  lap. 

As  soon  as  it  was  finished  the  Man  Who 
Knew  took  the  young  medico's  place,  and 
switched  the  light  behind  Lee  Moy's  head. 
Chirrupping  like  a  bird,  to  attract  Lee  Moy's 
attention,  he  focussed  a  pencil  of  light  re 
flected  from  his  ophthalmoscope  on  Lee 
Moy's  widely  dilated  pupils. 

They  remained  dilated,  and  Lee  Moy  did 
not  even  wince  under  the  brilliant  light ! 

u  It  is  the  Evil  Eye,  perchance,"  thought 
Suey  Yep ;  but  a  glance  at  the  Fair  Samari 
tan's  face  reassured  her. 

"  He  only  heap  dlunk,"  she  vouchsafed 
pitifully  to  those  present,  looking  helplessly 
at  them. 

34 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

When  the  examination  was  over  Suey 
Yep  and  Lee  Moy  were  conducted  to  the 
carriage,  the  Fair  Samaritan  remaining  be 
hind  with  the  Man  Who  Knew. 

"  Well,  doctor4?"  she  asked. 

"  He  is  hopelessly  blind,  and "  He 

paused,  looking  at  her  with  kindly  compassion. 

"  Proceed,  sir." 

"  And  in  a  few  weeks  Lee  Moy's  place 
will  be  vacant." 

"  But,  except  for  his  blindness,  he  appears 
to  be  perfectly  well,"  she  remonstrated. 

"  And  yet  he  will  die  in  a  very  few  weeks. 
The  retina,"  he  explained, — "  the  expansion 
of  the  optic  nerve  in  the  eyeball, — is  the 
seat  of  malignant  degeneration  ;  the  child's 
total  blindness  proves  that  the  optic  nerves, 
which  convey  visual  impressions  to  the  brain, 
are  similarly  affected,  and  the  growth  will 
soon  extend  to  the  brain." 

There  were  traces  of  tears  on  the  Fair 
Samaritan's  face  when  she  entered  the  car- 
35 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

riage, — traces  which  did  not  escape  Suey 
Yep's  vigilant  scrutiny. 

"  Oh,  Lee  Moy,  Lee  Moy !"  sobbed  the 
latter,  pressing  the  little  one,  who  was  now 
fast  asleep,  to  her  bosom.  "  Thou  art  not 
blind,  thou  art  not  blind,  Light  in  Darkness ! 
I  will  yet  complete  thy  illumination." 

When  he  was  lifted  out  of  the  carriage, 
he  awoke  and  complained  that  his  head 
ached.  "  I  am  aweary,  mother,  and  I  would 
sleep,  for  the  sun  hath  left  the  sky." 

When  the  Fair  Samaritan  drove  to  Lee 
Chung's  store  the  next  morning,  she  was 
denied  admission  to  the  upper  apartments. 

"  Lee  Moy  ill— velly  ill,"  said  Lee  Chung 
with  considerable  heat.  "  Go  'way !  Small 
man  with  bad  eye  make  him  heap  sick.  Go 
'way !"  And  he  swore  a  round  of  torrid 
oaths,  and  spat  on  the  ground. 

In  spite  of  her  reception,  the  Fair  Samari 
tan  called  every  day,  for  ten  days,  and  was 
curtly  dismissed  every  time. 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

The  next  day  a  funeral  procession  left 
Lee  Chung's  store :  Suey  Yep's  method  of 
"  illumination"  had  hastened  the  opening  of 
Lee  Moy's  eyes  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Great  Darkness. 

Two  months  after,  the  Fair  Samaritan, — 
who  was  greatly  moved  by  the  practice  of 
a  Providence  that  confers  special  favors  on 
little  children, — went  once  more  to  the  store 
of  Lee  Chung.  She  would  see  Suey  Yep 
and  comfort  her  if  it  were  possible.  The 
sign  over  the  door  was  changed,  and  referred 
to  one  "  Quong  Lung,  Merchant." 

"  This  is  Lee  Chung's  store  ?"  she  asked. 

"  This  was  Lee  Chung's  store,"  replied  the 
stout,  arrogant,  bespectacled  Chinaman  be 
hind  the  counter,  speaking  with  a  refined 
English  accent.  (He  was  Quong  Lung,  a 
graduate  of  Vale,  and  a  barrister  of  the  Inner 
Temple,  London, — and  a  man  who  knew, 
and  ordered,  many  things  in  Chinatown.)  I 

37 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"And  where  is  Lee  Chung?"  she  con 
tinued. 

"  In  far  Cathay  ;  he  sold  out  to  me.  He 
also  told  me  about  you." 

"And  Suey  Yep?" 

"  Lee  Chung  sold  her,  also,  to  me  for  three 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars  before  he  took 
passage  to  China.  She  is  a  very  pretty  girl, 
as  you  know, — and  she  is  a  very  paying  in 
vestment."  He  puffed  his  cigar  insolently 
for  a  while,  watching  the  effect  of  his  news 
with  evident  satisfaction. 

After  a  pause,  he  said  sententiously : 

"  '  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way 
His  wonders  to  perform.' " 

Then,  with  a  well-bred  sneer,  "And  it  is 
always  a  mistake  for  you,  and  your  kind,  to 
interfere  with  the  ways  of  the  Heathen." 
Noticing  her  rising  color,  and  that  her  breath 
came  more  quickly,  he  spoke  once  more  in 
a  tone  full  of  menace  : 
38 


The  Illumination  of  Lee  Moy 

"  Suey  Yep  is  one  of  my  chattels ;  never 
forget  that  fact !  Any  interference  with  my 
property  by  you,  or  by  any  one  else,  would 
result  in  the  sudden  and  irreparable  depreci 
ation  in  value  of  that  property.  Whatever 
my  shadow  falls  on  withers — and,  besides 
being  a  Master  of  Arts,  I  am  a  Master  of 
Accidents !" 


PART  II 

* 

The  Shadow  of  ^uong  Lung 


A    TENDER    RHETORICIAN 


art  Chin  Lee,  scrivener?"  asked 
a  handsome  young  Chinaman  of  the 
professional  letter-  writer  whose  table,  with 
his  implements  of  writing,  was  set  close  to 
the  wall  at  one  of  the  crossings  on  Clay 
Street,  San  Franciso. 

"  Chin  Lee,  scrivener,  am  I  ;  and  thou  art 
in  good  hap  this  fair  morning  to  have  come 
my  way,  instead  of  stopping  at  the  station 
of  Ah  Moy  (may  the  sea  have  his  corpse  !), 
who  catcheth  the  unwary  lower  down  the 
street." 

"  I  am  Ho  Chung,  and  I  am  late  come 
from  Pekin,  leaving  behind  me  Moy  Yen, 
my  wife,  who  hath  gone  back  to  her  kin, 
who  are  of  the  northern  hills  and  speak  not 

43 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

as  we  do.  I  am  fain  to  send  her  a  letter 
that  can  be  read  of  her  people,  whereby 
they  shall  know  that  I  am  an  honorable 
man,  and  that  I  am  making  preparation  for 
her  journey  to  this  land.  Thou  art  learned 
in  the  tongue  of  the  hill  people?" 

"All  the  tongues  of  our  great  country 
have  yielded  me  their  secrets,"  said  Chin 
Lee  with  the  gravity  becoming  the  lie  that 
he  uttered  daily.  (He  had  an  agent  in 
Chinatown  who  spoke  the  Manchu  dialect, 
and  translated  the  communications  brought 
to  him  by  Chin  Lee.)  "  Thou  art  in  great 
luck  this  propitious  morning,"  he  went  on, 
"  for  Ah  Moy  is  descended  from  striped 
swine." 

"  They  say  he  hath  a  more  tender  pen, 
but  that  thou  art  more  honest." 

"  They — mine  enemies,  doubtless  ! — tell 
the  truth  concerning  my  honesty,  but  they 
lie  when  they  depreciate  my  qualities  as  a 
tender  writer.  Tenderness  and  Affection 

44 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

are  of  my  household,  and  sup  with  me 
nightly.  But  how  didst  thou  talk  with 
Moy  Yen,  seeing  that  thy  speech  differs 
from  hers*?" 

"  I  taught  her  a  few  words  of  my  tongue, 
and  she  taught  me  a  few  of  hers;  and 

"Ay,  ay!"  interrupted  Chin  Lee;  "love 
hath  its  own  language,  and  is  not  in  much 
need  of  mere  words  in  any  tongue.  But 
what  is  your  wish  ?" 

"  I  would  have  you  tell  the  young  woman, 
— Moy  Yen,  my  wife, — that  when  the  man- 
child  Ho  Sung, — or  Moy  Yep,  if  it  be  a 
girl  (which  the  Gods  forbid  !), — hath  arrived, 
I  will  send  her  moneys  to  bring  her  and  the 
little  one  to  San  Francisco.  And,  Chin 
Lee,"  he  hesitated  a  moment,  "  didst  ever 
love  a  woman  ?" 

"  I  have  loved  them  in  every  province  of 
our  Flowery  Land, — and  in  many  tongues, 
Ho  Chung." 

45 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  But  hast  thou  knowledge  of  a  sam-yen 
played  under  a  balcony  in  a  Lane  of  Death, 
where  nothing  is  asked  ?" 

"Behold  the  proof!"  replied  Chin  Lee, 
rolling  up  his  sleeve  and  displaying  a  scar 
on  his  arm. 

"  And  did  a  little  child  come  to  thee  there 
after?" 

"Yea;  and  the  songs  I  wrote  to  it  are 
sung  in  the  streets  of  Shanghai  to  this  day, 
— for  I  was  overpowered  with  the  marvel  of 
its  littleness.  See,  I  will  add  one  of  those 
songs  to  the  letter  I  shall  write  for  thee  for 
the  consideration  of  aping-long  (betel  leaf)." 

They  crossed  the  street  to  the  reduced 
gentleman  who  sold  the  toothsome  delicacy, 
which  the  Hindoos  understand  so  much 
better.  And  as  they  discussed  the  spicy 
morsels  they  walked  to  and  fro  on  the  sunny 
side  of  Union  Square,  which  is  a  sequestered 
retreat,  as  it  were,  in  the  teeming  traffic  of 

Chinatown. 

46 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"I  will  write  thee  two  letters,"  began 
Chin  Lee ;  "  one  to  fit  the  case  of  a  man- 
child,  and  the  other  if  thy  babe  should  be  a 
girl.  The  price  for  two  letters  shall  be  the 
same  as  for  one, — and,  my  friend,  where 
didst  thou  say  Moy  Yen,  thy  wife,  lived  *?" 

"  In  the  lane  Pin-yang,  of  the  city  Mouk- 
den,  which  is  in  the  Manchu  province  Shing- 
king  in  the  hill  country.  But,  belike,  thy 
letter  will  not  reach  her,  for  the  lane  is  one 
of  many  small  ones  in  a  great  city." 

"  His  stubborn  apprehension  is  clearly  due 
to  his  much  affection,"  thought  Chin  Lee ; 
then  he  said  aloud,  "  Never  fear !  Moy 
Yen,  with  a  smiling  babe  at  her  breast,  shall 
receive  a  letter  that  shall  delight  her  greatly : 
my  aged  father,  who  looks  after  my  affairs  in 
China  (Heaven  soften  his  taking  off!),  hath 
an  agent  in  Moukden,  and  will  see  to  it  that 
the  letter  doth  not  miscarry." 

"  But  Moy  Yen  is " 

"  She  is  very  beautiful  ?"  interrupted  Chin 

47 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

Lcc,  guessing  his  thought  with  the  aid  of 
much  practice. 

"  She  is  more  beautiful  than  I  can  tell, 
and " 

"  So  it  was  in  my  case,"  again  interrupted 
Chin  Lee.  "The  woman  that  caused  me 
the  hurt  I  showed  you — it  was  a  dangerous 
hurt  (he  was  talking  in  a  confidential  and 
friendly  strain  by  this  time — an  old  trick 
of  his), — but  the  woman  was  worthy,  by 
reason  of  her  beauty  and  her  tenderness,  of 
the  sudden  taking  off  of  even  Chin  Lee,  who 
is  the  slave  of  a  wakeful  conscience,  and  the 
possessor  of  much  experience  in  affairs  of 
the  heart ;  and  it  as  an  ointment  to  the 
hurt,  which  still  twingeth  shrewdly  when 
the  air  nips,  to  clothe  my  so  great  experi 
ences  in  the  garments  of  my  rhetoric  for  the 
benefit  of  my  honorable  patrons." 

"  Would  it  help  thy  rhetoric  to  see  a  pre 
sentment  of  Moy  Yen  *?"  asked  Ho  Chung, 

drawing  an  enamelled  case  from  his  pocket, 
48 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

and  displaying  a  miniature  of  a  young  Chinese 
woman  painted  by  a  Chinese  artist. 

"  The  sight  of  Youth  and  Beauty  are  as 
spurs  to  the  halting  poet,  or  as  the  sun  that 
waketh  a  sleeping  valley  whose  charms  are 
enhanced  by  his  ardent  rays;"  and  Chin 
Lee  held  the  miniature  at  various  distances 
from  his  bespectacled  eyes,  and  examined  it 
critically. 

"  To  have  looked  on  this  once,"  he  went 
on  unctuously,  "  were  sufficient  inspiration 
to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  letter  that  should 
serve  as  a  model  for  all  lovers  from  Pekin 
to  Yun-nan ; — but  to  look  at  it  in  favored 
intervals  till  this  hour  to-morrow  would  re 
sult  in  the  erection  of  such  turrets  and  pin 
nacles  of  rhetoric  as  were  never  before  built 
in  our  language." 

He  paused  awhile  in  meditation,  regarding 
the  miniature  with  head  aslant.  "Wilt 
thou  leave  this  with  me  till  to-morrow  at 
this  hour,  so  that  I  may  write  that  which  be- 

4  49 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

fits  thy  affection,  and  is  due  to  Moy  Yen's 
beauty  and  worth*?"  Then,  noticing  Ho 
Chung's  hesitation,  he  went  on :  "  The  pic 
ture  hath  no  value  to  any  one  save  thee — 
but  who  may  appraise  what  is  dear  to  the 
heart  ?  Nevertheless,  I  will  give  thee  twenty 
dollars  to  hold  until  the  picture  is  restored 
to  thee." 

"  It  is  my  comfort  in  a  strange  land,"  said 
Ho  Chung,  eyeing  it  hungrily. 

"And  it  is  worthy  of  the  rhetoric  of  Chin 
Lee,"  responded  the  other,  loftily. 

That  settled  it.  The  exchange  of  money 
and  picture  having  been  made,  Ho  Chung 
gave  the  scrivener  many  and  full  particulars 
to  be  transmitted  to  Moy  Yen : — details  of 
his  own  life  and  work  in  San  Francisco ;  and 
hopes  for  her  own  welfare  and  that  of  the 
babe  that  had,  doubtless,  arrived. 

"Write  my  heart  into  the  letter,  Chin 
Lee,"  he  ended. 

" 1  will  enclose  it  in  the  amber  of  my 
50 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

rhetoric,  and  transmute  the  youth,  and  hope, 
and  the  wonders  of  this  land  of  sunshine 
into  words  that  shall  ripple  as  pleasantly  as 
the  wavelets  on  the  beach  at  Santa  Cruz 
when  the  full  moon  lays  its  benediction  on 
the  sleeping  sea  and  the  winds  are  hushed !" 


II 


THE   ENTERTAINMENT   OF   A   MOUSE 
BY  A   CAT 


^T^HOU  hast  come,  doubtless,  to  dis- 
-*•  charge  thy  debt  to  me,  Chin  Lee," 
said  the  stout,  arrogant  man  behind  the 
counter  who  had  Destiny  in  his  looks. 

"Ay,  Quong  Lung,"  replied  Chin  Lee, 
with  a  newly  acquired  confidence.  "  I  have 
that  with  me  that  shall  not  only  free  me 
from  my  indebtedness  to  thee,  but  which 
will  put  money  in  thy  purse.  But  my 
words  are  privy,  and  to  be  spoken  only  in 
thy  inner  chamber." 

Quong  Lung  bolted  and  locked  his  front 
door  from  within,  and  further  fortified  the 
passage  with  a  fatefully  contrived  barricade  ; 
—  for  the  wars  of  the  tongs  never  cease,  and 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

there  had  been  a  standing  reward  for  his  life 
for  many  days.  But  the  contending  hatchet- 
men  and  highbinders  agreed  that  Quong 
Lung  had  a  charmed  life,  and  that  his 
enemies  were  short-lived. 

And  Chin  Lee,  professional  letter-writer 
and  past-master  in  the  art  of  lying, — and 
owing  Quong  Lung  money,  and  a  bitter  debt 
of  service ! — stretched  himself  with  easy 
negligence  on  the  smoking  mat  in  Quong 
Lung's  inner  apartment,  whilst  the  latter 
took  his  place  on  the  other  side  of  the  mat. 

After  they  had  smoked  three  or  four  pipes  in 
silence,  Chin  Lee  drew  Moy  Yen's  miniature 
from  his  blouse  and  handed  it  to  Quong  Lung. 

"  Would  she  be  worth  while,"  he  asked 
simply,  for  rhetoric  was  out  of  the  question 
with  this  man. 

"  She  would,  if  she  were  available." 

"All  things  are  available  to  the  mighty. 
But  the  price  I  ask  is  a  great  one,  Quong 
Lung,  and  the  strong  are  ever  merciful  and 
53 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

generous,  and  it  will  not  strain  thy  mercy 
and  generosity  to  pay  my  dues." 

"  Name  them." 

"  The  remittance  in  full — to  be  given  in 
writing — of  the  money  I  owe  thee;  and 

"  He  paused  a  moment,  and  then  went 

on  in  a  trembling  voice  :  "  See,  Quong  Lung, 
the  knowledge  thou  hast  of  that  little  hap 
pening  in  Ross  Alley  ten  years  ago,  when  a 
man  was  found  dead  with  a  certain  writing 
in  his  hand,  hath  sat  like  lead  on  my  soul, 
and  frozen — time  and  again — the  flow  of 
words  whereby  I  live." 

"Yes?" 

"  Return  the  writing  to  me,  and  I  will  do 
thy  bidding  at  all  times." 

"  Thou  shalt  do  my  bidding  at  all  times, 
in  any  case,"  said  Quong  Lung,  carelessly. 
"  See  to  it  that  the  young  woman  is  made 
*  available'  without  loss  of  time." 

"  Death  hath  no  such  bitterness  as  thy 
supremacy,  Quong  Lung !" 

54 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"Only  fools  kill  themselves,  Chin  Lee; 
and  'twere  pity,"  he  went  on,  with  a  sneer, 
"  twere  pity  to  put  an  end  to  the  flow  of  thy 
'  rhetoric.' " 

He  turned  his  head  slowly  and  looked  in 
solently  at  the  trembling  Chin  Lee,  who  had 
ceased  smoking  and  was  kneeling  suppliantly 
before  him  with  clasped  hands.  As  a  cat 
plays  with  a  mouse  only  to  enliven  the  little 
game  of  catching  it  again,  he  appeared  to 
relent  as  he  said,  "  Thy  debt  in  money  shall 
be  remitted  when  the  young  woman  is '  avail 
able' — to  use  thy  phrase.  But  thy  debt  in 
service  shall  continue  with  growing  interest: 
I  have  need  of  thy  '  rhetoric.'  Now,  tell  me 
about  the  young  woman." 

"  Her  name,  Inexorable,  is  Moy  Yen,  and 
she  is  the  wife  of  Ho  Chung,  who  is  a 
skilled  goldsmith,  and  earneth  high  wage  in 
the  service  of  Quen  Loy  of  Dupont  Street." 

"She  is  here?" 

"  Nay,  Far  Reacher ;  she  is  in  Moukden, 
55 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

of  the  province  of  Shing-king,  where  the 
people  use  other  speech  than  ours,  as  thou 
knowest.  And  Ho  Chung,  her  husband, 
is  saving  money  for  her  journey  to  this  land 
with  her  babe,  after  it  is  born." 

"  Her  babe  ?"  asked  Quong  Lung,  with  a 
frown. 

"  Yes,  Most  Merciful." 

"And  what  should  /  do  with  a  babe? 
My  shadow  hath  fallen  on  it.  See  to  it  that 
it  withers." 

"  The  lightning  shall  strike  it,  Most 
Worshipful !" 

"  Have  a  photograph  made  of  this  portrait : 
it  will  be  needful  to  Moy  Yen's  admission  to 
this  land  as  a  '  Native  Daughter/  " 

"  And  if  she  should  be  as  beautiful  as  her 
picture  shows  her  to  be,  wilt  thou  remit  the 
greater  debt?" 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Quong  Lung,  eyeing  him 
for  a  moment  with  disdain.  "  Now  go !" 


Ill 

HOW    RHETORIC    MAY   SERVE   LOVE 

'TTERE  is  thy  picture,  Ho  Chung,"  said 
A  J.  Chin  Lee  when  they  met  at  the 
appointed  hour. 

"  I  could  not  sleep  last  night  for  thinking 
of  it,"  responded  Ho  Chung,  returning  his 
money  to  the  letter-writer,  and  concealing 
the  precious  miniature  in  his  blouse. 

"  Sweetly  shalt  thou  sleep  to-night,  young 
man,  lulled  by  the  consciousness  that  never 
fair  woman  received  letter  like  this  that  thou 
shalt  send  to  Moy  Yen.  But  it  is  not  fitting 
that  such  rhetoric  as  mine  should  be  wasted 
in  a  roaring  street.  Come  with  me  to  the 
square  below  where,  at  least,  there  is  grass 
with  pleasant  shadows  thereon." 

When  they  had  reached  Union  Square, 
57 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

Chin  Lee  unrolled  the  papers  in  his  hand, 
and  read  the  following  letter  which  he  had 
indited : 

"  Moy  Yen, — Cherry  Blossom  ! — to  think  that  these 
my  silly  words  shall  take  thine  eyes !" 

"  Excellent !"  interrupted  Ho  Chung ;  "  I 
perceive  thou  hast  suffered  as  I  do." 

Chin  Lee  acknowledged  the  compliment 
with  a  smile,  and  went  on  with  his  reading : 

"  — But  to  begin  rightly  :  It  hath  been  my  good  hap 
to  meet  with  a  Master  of  Rhetoric,  one  Chin  Lee, 
who  is  not  too  old  to  have  forgotten  the  thrill  of 
the  tender  passion,  and  who  hath  suffered  griev 
ously  in  the  cultivation  of  the  affections.  He  hath 
much  skill  in  the  lofty  art  of  the  scrivener,  for 
he  hath  labored  all  his  life,  and  at  all  hours  of  the 
day  and  night,  in  the  stony  fields  of  poesy  and  expres 
sion.  His  skill  is  only  less  than  my  devotion,  which 
he  has  herein  transmuted  into  tender  phrase  and  loving 
passage  befitting  thy  surpassing  excellence.  What 
manner  of  man  he  is  is  hereunder  told :  His  learning 
is  only  equalled  by  his  benevolence,  which  is  the  talk 
58 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

of  all  people  in  this  great  and  wondrous  city  of 
San  Francisco,  so  that  when  any  one  hath  good  luck 
all  men  say,  *  Herein  is  the  hand  of  Chin  Lee  !'  " 

"  But  this  is  naught  to  Moy  Yen,  who 
would  fain  hear  of  me,"  broke  in  Ho  Chung. 

"  The  young  are  ever  impatient,"  said 
Chin  Lee,  looking  reprovingly  over  the  top 
of  his  spectacles.  "  Patience  is  always  re 
warded."  He  then  proceeded  with  his 
letter : 

"  What  I  would,  first  and  last,  impress  upon  thee, 
Dew  of  the  Morning,  is  the  superexcellence  of  my 
Honorable  Friend,  Chin  Lee,  who  hath  toiled  in  the 
tea. gardens  of  learning,  where  only  the  '  Orange 
Pekoe'  of  speech,  so  to  speak,  is  cultivated." 

"  'Tis  a  fair  sentence,"  said  Chin  Lee, 
looking  up  at  Ho  Chung;  "'the  Orange 
Pekoe  of  speech'  is  a  fair  phrase,  and  smacks 
rightly." 

"Proceed,"  replied    Ho    Chung,  kicking 
aside  a  pebble  on  the  path. 
59 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 
Chin  Lee,  adjusting  his  spectacles,  went  on : 

"  But,  whatsoever  happens,  always  remember  that 
Chin  Lee  is  an  Honorable  Man, — and  my  best  friend." 

"  But  this  doth  not  touch  me,"  said  Ho 
Chung,  with  some  irritation. 

"  Shall  I,  an  uncredited  man,  act  as  a  go- 
between  for  my  honorable  patrons  and  their 
correspondents  who  live  where  our  speech  is 
not  spoken?"  asked  Chin  Lee,  with  some 
heat. 

"  Perhaps  thou  art  right, — but  I  would 
dictate  the  rest  of  the  letter.  See,  I  will 
propitiate  thee  with  favorable  mention  of 
thee  to  Moy  Yen." 

"  Now  nay,  Ho  Chung ;  bethink  thee  : 
shall  one  who  is  acquainted  with  the  '  Four 
Books'  and  the  'Five  Classics'  yield  to  a 
mere  goldsmith  in  matters  pertaining  to  rhet 
oric  ?  Shall  I  permit  my  perfect  knowledge 
of  the  Confucian  Analects  to  be  trampled 

under  foot  even  by  a  lover  *?     Thy  lack  of 
60 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

learning  should  stand  suppliantly  in  the  pres 
ence  of  an  understanding  that  comprehends 
the  encyclopedia  'Wan  keen  tung  kaouj  com 
piled  by  the  learned  Ma  Twan-lin."  He 
finished  with  a  lofty  emphasis. 

"Nevertheless,  Chin  Lee,"  replied  Ho 
Chung,  with  a  look  of  impatience  on  his 
face,  "  if  I  may  not  speak  from  my  heart  to 
Moy  Yen's,  I  shall  be  compelled  to  employ 
the  pen  of  Ah  Moy  who,  they  say,  writeth 
as  he  is  bidden." 

"Ah  Moy  is  a  pig,  and  his  father  is  a 
stray  dog !  He  knoweth  naught  of  the 
'  Ta-heo'  (the  Book  of  Great  Learning),  and 
he  inditeth  letters  for  coolies  only  to  their 
filthy  trulls, — but  thou  art  a  sing-song  (a 
gentleman),  and  hast  done  wisely  to  come 
to  the  only  sing-song  in  my  profession  in 
San  Francisco." 

"  Thy  time  is  precious,  Chin  Lee ;  and  I, 
too,  must  be  about  my  day's  work,"  said  Ho 
Chung,  turning  his  back  on  the  letter-writer. 
61 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Tchch,  tchch !"  clucked  the  latter,  im 
patiently.  "  Pronounce,  then,  the  words  I 
must  write,  without  regard  to  the  lofty  art 
of  rhetoric,  from  thy  untutored  heart  to 
Moy  Yen's.  I  am  but  thy  pen.  Proceed. 
But  fail  not  to  speak  favorably  of  me,  as 
thou  didst  promise." 

"  The  words  thou  hast  written  so  far  shall 
stand,  Chin  Lee,"  said  the  other,  to  concili 
ate  the  Master  of  Rhetoric,  with  whom 
rested  the  ultimate  writing  of  the  letter  to 
Moy  Yen — a  letter  not  to  be  misconstrued 
for  obvious  reasons. 


62 


IV 

CONCERNING   A   VULGAR    PASSION 

WHEN  the  scrivener  was  ready,  Ho 
Chung  dictated  his  message  to  the 
distant  Moy  Yen  in  the  following  terms : 

"  Beloved  ! — Soul  Sf  my  Soul ! — Bearing  two  hearts 
within  thee !  thou  art  blessed  and  decorated  beyond 
the  power  of  mere  speech !  But,  ere  I  reach  forth 
into  the  realms  of  words  to  dress  thee  with  the  praises 
that  belong  to  thee,  I  am  fain,  first,  to  extol  the  good 
qualities  of  my  Honorable  Friend,  Chin  Lee " 

"  Of  7793  Clay  Street,"  interrupted  the 
scrivener ;  "  and  I  would  add :  '  He  can 
speak  thy  language,  and  is  famed  for  his 
modesty  and  benevolence.' " 

"So  be  it  set  forth,  but  interrupt  not 
again,"  said  Ho  Chung,  with  evident  irrita- 
63 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

tion,  as  he  once  more  resumed  his  dicta 
tion.  "  Write  now  only  what  I  shall  say," 
and  Chin  Lee,  reading  Ho  Chung's  face 
aright,  was  henceforth  silent,  and  wrote  as 
follows : 

"  Our  child  ? — hath  it  come,  Cherry  Blossom  ? 
Oh,  the  weary  days  until  I  see  it,  and  hold  it  in  my 
arms !  But  the  thought  that  it  is  part  thine  and  part 
mine,  and  that  it  rests  on  thy  tender  bosom,  lies  on  my 
heart  like  the  dew-pearls  on  the  petals  of  a  new-blown 
rose.  Is  it  well — oh,  it  must  be  well  with  thee,  and 
Ours !  Tell  me  all  that  my  heart  is  hungry  for, 
Dawn  of  Love. 

"  As  for  me,  I  am  still  in  the  service  of  Qucn  Loy, 
and  my  work  is  in  much  demand,  and  holdeth  me 
from  early  morn  till  early  night ; — Quen  Loy  will  not 
suffer  me  to  work  longer  lest  harm  befall  mine  eyes. 
My  wage  is  more  than  passing  fair, — and  even  the 
lottery  hath  befriended  me,  so  that  I  am  able  to  send 
thec,  herewith,  twenty  taels.  Two  months  hence,  if 
my  fortune  change  not,  I  shall  send  thee  sufficient 
money  to  bring  thee,  and  little  Thine-and-Mine,  to 
this  fair  country,  where  the  sun  shines  more  days  in 
the  year  than  elsewhere. 

64 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  As  for  the  people  of  this  country,  they  are  not  the 

White  Devils  as  set  forth  by  the  ignorant  of  our  kind. , 

The  worst  that  can  be  said  of  them  is  that  they  ob 
trude  themselves  into  the  houses  of  our  people,  and 
have  no  reverence  for  our  Gods  or  our  shrines.  I  am 
told,  too,  that  their  women  bare  their  bosoms  and 
shoulders  for  the  lewd  to  gaze  upon,  and  that  they 
dance  in  unseemly  fashion  in  the  embrace  of  men 
other  than  their  husbands.  This  I  have  not  seen,  for 
mine  eyes  are  for  thy  beauty  alone,  thou  Spray  of 
Jessamine ! 

"  But,  ah  !  the  thought  of  thee,  and  of  thy  beauty, 
and  of  the  Blossom — the  babe,  Thine-and-Mine  ! — 
are  ever  with  me.  It  sustains  me  in  my  hours  of 
work, — and  then  I  have  thy  picture  to  look  at !  But 
it  is  at  night,  when  the  stimulus  of  work  is  over,  that 
I  feel  most  keenly  that  I  am  a  stranger  in  a  far  country. 
Beloved,  I  awoke  trembling  last  night :  methought  I 
was  in  Pekin  with  thee,  and  that  I  could  hear  thy 
gentle  breathing  ;  and  then  I  stretched  forth  my  hand  ; 
but,  alas !  thy  place  beside  me  was  vacant,  and  I  wept 
amain  till  the  dawn  came.  Oh,  cruel,  cruel  is  the  dis 
tance  between  us  !  and  so  is  the  vast  wandering  sea  that 
separates  us,  and  knows  naught  of  our  love,  and  careth 
less,  and  is  indifferent  to  us.  But  if  money  can  bring 
thee  to  me,  I  will  faithfully  work  for  it. 

5  65 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Farewell,  Orange  Blossom.     I  breathe  my  benedic 
tion  into  the  space  in  which  this  world  spins,  knowing 
that  thou  art  somewhere  in  it,  and  that  it  will  find  thee. 
"These  from  thy  Husband, 

"Ho  CHUNG." 


66 


THE   VOICE    OF   TRAVAIL 

^  I  ^O  Ho  Chung,  two  months  after  the 
•*•  despatch  of  the  above  letter,  came  the 
following  reply  from  Moy  Yen,  which  was 
thus  translated  to  Ho  Chung  the  next  day, 
after  the  crafty  Chin  Lee  had  conferred  with 
his  Manchu  agent : 

"  Best  Beloved :  Thy  babe  hath  come  ! — and  it  is 
a  Man-Child ! 

"  Oh  !  my  Lord,  I  have  walked  on  a  path  that  is 
hedged  with  death  on  both  sides.  Pain  held  my  right 
hand,  and  Fear  my  left.  The  night  was  dark  and 
clouded,  and  full  of  whisperings  of  mischance.  And 
oft  I  should  have  failed  and  died,  but  the  thought  of 
Ours,  and  of  my  husband  in  a  far  and  strange  land 
toiling  for  me,  sustained  me.  And  then  the  babe  Ho 
Sung  was  born,  and  the  light  returned. 

"Bat  the  ever-fresh  wonder  of  thy  Man-Child ! 
67 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

How  may  I  tell  it !  Oh !  Ho  Chung,  his  hands  are 
like  the  petals  of  a  rose,  and  a  cunning  woman  from 
Hindostan  hath  taught  me  how  to  stain  his  nails  with 
henna. 

"  But  the  greater  wonder  of  his  feet,  my  Might !  He 
kicked  himself  naked  with  them  last  night, — and  I  can 
hold  them  both  in  one  palm  ! 

"  He  is  so  beautiful  that  I  do  not  even  fear  to  put  him 
to  the  breast  that  is  stabbed  with  a  thousand  knives 
when  he  suckles. 

"  He  hath  speech,  also,  and  it  is  in  terms  of  two 
simple  cries  that  convey  impressions  of  pleasure  and 
pain  :  his  laughter  is  like  a  tiny,  happy  waterfall ;  and 
his  wailings  are  melodious,  too,  save  that  they  pierce 
my  heart.  And  he  groweth  amain — I  can  scarce  sus 
tain  him,  though  my  breasts  are  never  empty. 

"  Beloved,  the  twenty  taeh  thou  didst  send  me  have 
arrived.  It  is  a  thousand  years  till  I  get  the  rest  of 
the  moneys  that  shall  take  me  to  thee,  and  enable  me 
to  put  Thine-and-Mine,  as  thou  callest  him,  in  thy 

arms. 

"  From  thine  own, 

"MoY  YEN." 


68 


VI 

THE   WITHERING    OF   A    BUD 

1  T  TO  CHUNG  was  overcome  to  the  point 
•*••*•  of  death  when  I  read  this  to  him," 
said  Chin  Lee,  extending  a  letter  to  Quong 
Lung.  "You  see,  he  had  knowledge 
through  a  previous  letter  that  a  notable  babe 
had  been  born  to  him ;  and  then  came  this 
letter,  which,  in  his  grief,  he  left  with  me." 

Quong  Lung  took  the  paper,  and  read  as 
follows : 

"  Best  Beloved  !  Sharer  of  my  joys  and  sorrows ! — 
A  great  sorrow  hath  befallen  us. 

"  But  the  babe — our  babe,  Thine-and-Mine  ! — was 
ever  such  a  babe  ! 

"  How  may  I  tell  it ! 

"  Yesterday  some  miscreant  stole  it  from  us.  At 
first  my  heart  filled  with  hope,  because  of  the  milk 
69 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

that  flowed  into  my  breasts,  for,  methought,  that  was 
a  sign  that  our  little  one  was  still  alive,  and  that  I 
should,  surely,  suckle  it  again.  But  now  my  heart  is 
full  of  pain,  and  my  breasts  are  empty  of  milk  ! 

"  Strength  of  my  Strength  !  call  thy  utmost  strength 
to  thy  aid  :  thy  man-child  Ho  Sung  was  stolen  from 
my  side  as  I  slept,  and  to-day  his  body  was  found  in 
the  canal,  and  my  milk,  oh !  my  Lord,  lay  on  his 
frozen  lips." 

"  Thy  honorable  and  aged  parent  in  the 
Flowery  Land  is  an  '  artist/ "  said  Quong 
Lung,  extending  a  cigar  to  Chin  Lee. 

"  But  we  are  ever  more  favored  than  our 
sires,  for  we  reap  the  harvests  sown  by  them. 
In  fact,  Chin  Sen,  my  father,  but  followed 
out  my  directions,"  answered  Chin  Lee, 
eagerly. 

Quong  Lung  proceeded  to  read  as  follows : 

"  Oh,  my  Lord,  my  babe  being  dead,  and  thou  in  a 
far  land,  my  life  droops.      Oh,  let  me  come  to  thee 
ioon! 
From  thy  grief-stricken  wife, 

"  MOY  YEN." 
70 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"See  to  it  that  she  comes  soon,"  said 
Quong  Lung,  putting  five  double  eagles  on 
the  table.  "Her  beauty  will  fade  if  she 
sorrow  too  long.  Ah!  I  have  it,"  he  ex 
claimed.  "My  agent  at  Shanghai,  Fan 
Wong,  will  despatch  his  next  consignment 
of  slave  girls  to  me  two  months  hence  under 
charge  of  my  wife,  Suey  See,  who  doth  such 
errands  for  me.  Moy  Yen  shall  return  as 
thy  Californian  daughter,  Chin  Lee,  in  ful 
filment  of  the  requirements  of  the  Chinese 
Exclusion  Act.  Thy  daughter  shall  have 
honorable  escort." 

"  Thou  art  in  merry  mood  this  morning, 
Compeller.  But  greater  honor  would  accrue 
to  Moy  Yen  if  she  were  to  come  as  thy 
daughter, — and  no  questions  would  be  asked 
by  the  authorities  on  this  side." 

"  No  questions  shall  be  asked  in  any  case," 
said  Quong  Lung. 

"Even  the  White  Devils  fear  thee,  Far 
Readier  !  But  the  man  Ho  Chung  is  young 
71 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

and  strong, — and  he  might  get  knowledge 
of  this  matter, — and  my  life  is  still  pre 
cious  to  me.  'Twould  place  me  on  a 
dangerous  path  bordered  by  death,  Most 
Merciful." 

"  Therefore  do  I  order  it,"  said  Quong  Lung, 
slowly,  regarding  Chin  Lee  with  half-closed 
eyes.  "  But  thou  hast  done  well  so  far,  Chin 
Lee ;  passing  well.  How  much  dost  thou 
owe  me*?" 

"  One  hundred  and  thirty-eight  dollars, 
Fair  Dealer; — and  the  rack  of  a  scrap  of 
paper  that  fell  into  thy  hands.  Consider: 
I  have  caused  thy  shadow  to  fall  on  a  flower 
that  hindered — and  the  flower  hath  withered. 
Thou  wilt  let  that  weigh  with  thee,  Most 
Merciful." 

"  'Twas  well  done ;  very  well  done ! 
'Twas  worth  not  less  than  the  fifty  dollars  I 
herewith  remit  of  thy  debt  to  me  in  money," 
and  Quong  Lung  wrote,  and  gave  Chin  Lee 

a  receipt  for  that  amount. 

72 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  But  thou  art  not  appraising  the  removal 
of  the  babe  at  fair  value,  Quong  Lung." 

"Fair  enough,  fair  enough,  when  one 
considers  that  which  was  found  ten  years 
ago  in  Ross  Alley  in  the  hand  of  a  dead 
man." 

"  Quong  Lung,  'twere  easier  to  confess  all, 
than  to  live  under  the  stress  of  thy  shadow. 
Yes  ;  to  confess  all — all ! — some  of  thy  mis 
deeds,  too." 

There  was  a  battery  connected  with  the 
chair  on  which  Chin  Lee  sat,  and,  as  he 
clasped  its  arms  in  the  act  of  rising,  Quong  | 
Lung  switched  on  the  current  by  an  unper-  I 
ceived  movement  of  his  foot. 

"  The  raising  of  thy  voice,  Chin  Lee, 
would  summon  instant  death.  No  man  may 
threaten  me,  and  live." 

He  held  up  a  menacing  finger,  as  his 
victim  writhed  in  the  toils  of  the  Demon 
that  Bestows  Cramps. 

"  Call  off  thy  Devil,  Quong  Lung ;  call 
73 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

him  off!  I  am  forever  thy  slave,"  whined 
Chin  Lee. 

"  No  man  may  threaten  me,  and  live,"  re 
peated  Quong  Lung,  impressively.  "  Yet  see, 
I  will  be  magnanimous  to  thee,  for  only  the 
hem  of  my  shadow  hath  fallen  on  thee  this 
time, — and  I  am  mindful,  too,  of  the  bud 
that  withered." 

He  shut  off  the  current,  whilst  Chin  Lee, 
almost  dead  with  fear,  sank  into  his  chair 
and  wiped  the  great  drops  from  his  forehead. 

"  Great  is  Quong  Lung,  and  great  are  his 
spells  !"  he  gasped.  "  I  am  his  slave  hence 
forth." 

"Well  spoken,  Chin  Lee.  Now  drink, 
for  thou  hast  received  the  lesser  discipline 
that  I  mete  out  to  ingrates,  and  art  in  need 
of  the  assistance  of  sam  shu"  and  Quong 
Lung  set  cups  and  a  teapot  filled  with 
Chinese  gin  on  the  table  that  was  between 
them. 

"  Nay,  fear  not,  Chin  Lee ;  the  liquor  is 

74 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

not  poisoned.  See,"  and  Quong  Lung  filled 
a  cup  for  himself,  and  drank  its  contents. 
Then,  as  his  guest  drank  with  a  shaking  hand, 
Quong  Lung  went  on : 

"  Thou  wert  nearer  a  heavier  discipline 
than  that,  Chin  Lee.  Stand  a  pace  to  the 
right  of  thy  chair,  and  thou  shalt  see." 

Chin  Lee  had  scarcely  complied  with  his 
command,  when  an  arrow  whizzed  past  him, 
and  transfixed  the  chair  from  which  he  had 
just  risen. 

"  Other  means  have  I  for  subduing  the  re 
calcitrant.  Never  forget  that  thou  art  in  my 
hands.  And  now  some  more  sam  shu  ;  and 
resume  thy  seat,"  said  Quong  Lung,  with 
drawing  the  arrow  from  the  chair. 

"Thou  wilt  write  to  Moy  Yen,  in  the 
name  of  Ho  Chung,  and  direct  her  to  the 
keeping  of  my  wife  Suey  See  who,  also,  will 
seek  her  with  credentials  purporting  to  come 
from  Ho  Chung." 

"  Thy  wishes  shall  be  obeyed,  Subduer," 
75 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

returned  the  other,  meekly.  Then,  with  an 
air  of  sycophancy,  he  went  on  :  "  And  when 
Moy  Yen  sends  word  of  her  coming,  I  will 
alter  the  date  of  her  arrival  here  in  the  trans 
lation  of  the  letter  to  Ho  Chung,  so  that  we 
may  not  be  interrupted  in  any  way  in  the 
taking  of  our  pretty  partridge  to  her  cage. 
Ho,  ho !" 

"  Thou  art  a  worthy  son  of  that  worthy 
artist,  thy  honorable  and  aged  father ;  and 
thy  rhetoric  shall  yet  advance  thee.  Drink 


76 


VII 

A    BURIAL   BY    FIRE 

^  I  ^HE  brightness  of  the  day  is  reflected 
JL  in  thy  looks,  my  young  friend,"  said 
Chin  Lee  with  his  best  professional  smile 
as  he  unfolded  the  letter  Ho  Chung  had 
given  him  the  day  before, — the  third  he  was 
to  translate  and  embellish  with  the  flowers 
of  his  rhetoric  for  the  young  goldsmith. 

"  Ah,  ha !"  he  went  on,  as  he  smoothed 
out  the  letter  on  his  table ;  "  I  am,  indeed, 
thy  Luck.  See  what  it  is  to  have  employed 
a  man  versed  in  languages,  and  who  can 
summon  happy  words  at  his  will.  It  is  well 
known  that  I  can  pack  more  meaning  into  a 
sentence  than  Ah  Moy,  the  hungry,  can  con 
vey  in  a  column.  Not  for  nothing  have  I 
culled  the  flowers  that  abound  in  the  She  king 
77 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

of  Confucius,"  and  he  shook  his  head  with  a 
nod  of  self-approval. 

"  Great,  indeed,  O  Chin  Lee,  is  the  wonder 
of  thy  learning " 

"  It  is  spoken  of  even  among  the  barba 
rians  who  live  on  the  borders  of  Thibet,"  in 
terrupted  the  scrivener.  "  Even  the  Manda 
rins  who  sway  the  destinies  of  our  great 
empire  are  fain  to  ease  their  so  great  and 
important  functions  with  recitation  of  the 
odes  I  used  to  throw  off  in  my  idle  moments. 
And  when  it  was  told  to  the  Emperor  that 
one  Chin  Lee,  scrivener,  prosodian,  and 
rhetorician " 

"  But  this  is  barren  talk,"  interrupted  Ho 
Chung,  looking  hungrily  at  the  letter  in 
Chin  Lee's  hand. 

"  How  headlong  is  youth !"  exclaimed 
Chin  Lee,  in  a  tone  of  deprecation.  "  What 
a  glowing  sentence  didst  thou  cool  with  the 
breath  of  thy  impatience  !  The  beauty  of 
the  young  day,  the  expectant  love  beam- 
78 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

ing  in  thy  youthful  countenance,  the  news 
herein  contained " 

"Oh,  man  of  many  words,  is  it  good 
news'?"  once  more  interrupted  Ho  Chung, 
eagerly. 

But  the  other  held  up  his  hand  in  remon 
strance,  and  went  on  :  "  And  the  thought  of 
the  great  task  that  the  mightiest  of  Emperors 
had  it  in  mind  once  to  impose  upon  me, 
the  task  of  compiling  an  encyclopaedia  that 
should  rival  that  of  Ma  Twan-lin — all  these 
had  roused  me  to  a  height  of  poetic  fervor 
that  would  have  ended  in  a  climax  of  rhet 
oric  that  should  have  thundered  down  the 
ages !  Hast  no  love  for  literature  *?  and  do 
not  the  claims  of  posterity  appeal  to  thee  *?" 

"I  have  a  passing  strong  love  for  Moy 
Yen,  Chin  Lee,  and  my  heart  knocketh  for 
news  of  her.  Give  me  the  letter  and  I  will 
go  to  Ah  Moy,  and  leave  thee  to  nourish 
thy  'poetic  fervor/"  and  Ho  Chung  ex 
tended  an  impatient  hand. 

79 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  The  heedlessness  of  youth  passeth  the 
comprehension  of  the  wise  !  Well,  if  thou 
must  obstruct  the  flow  of  rhythmic  prose 
of  which  I  feel  capable  even  now,  in  spite 
of  thy  interruptions,  I  will  translate  the 
letter  of  thy  Moy  Yen.  Sit  down  beside 
me,  my  headlong  friend,  while  I  improve 
the  crude  sentences  wherewith  the  letter- 
writer  of  Moukden  hath  expressed  the  love 
of  the  beautiful  Moy  Yen  for  thee." 

He  wiped  his  spectacles  deliberately,  and 
proceeded  to  read  as  follows,  interpolating 
and  altering  as  suited  the  exigencies  of  the 
plot  in  which  he  was  concerned : 

"  Ho  Chung,  Deliverer  !  oh,  my  hope  is  fulfilled ! 
Yesterday  came  twenty  other  taels  from  thee  !  And  a 
kinsman,  but  lately  found, — who  is  an  opium  mer 
chant,  and  hath  been  bereft  of  children,  too, — gave 
me  other  twenty  for  the  journey,  and  yet  another 
twenty  to  put  into  thy  hand.  See  :  before  the  moon 
is  full  again,  they  tell  me  I  shall  look  once  more  upon 
my  Beautiful  Lord.  The  great  vessel  of  iron  moved 
80 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

by  fire  and  steam,  in  which  I  shall  cross  the  seas  that 
separate  us,  will  leave  a  month  hence  (Chin  Lee  sub 
stituted  a  '  month*  for  '  two  weeks'),  and  I  shall  be 
with  my  sweet  Lord  ere  the  cherry  blossoms  show. 
I  herewith  send  thee  a  paper  that  tells  the  name  and 
date  of  departure  of  the  vessel  that  shall  bring  me  to 
thee. 

"  But,  oh,  my  Lord  !  how  may  I  leave  Thine-and- 
Mine  behind  me !  Oh,  the  tender  lips  that  I  made, 
and  the  miracles  of  hands  and  feet;  and  the  soft  mouth 
that  clung  to  me  !  Oh,  Ho  Chung,  Ho  Chung,  how 
may  I  leave  Thine-and-Mine  behind  me  !  Thou  canst 
not  understand  it,  my  Lord,  but  the  love  of  a  woman 
for  her  babe — dead  or  alive — is  beyond  the  compre 
hension  of  men.  .  .  .  And,  too,  a  thousand  deaths 
beset  me  in  giving  him  birth, — and  then  to  lose  him  ! 

"  Hasten,  days  and  nights  !  Be  propitious,  seas  and 
stars  ! — so  shall  I  soon  clasp  my  beloved  Lord  once 
more. 

"  Oh,  Ho  Chung,  I  love  thee,  I  love  thee  ! 
"  From  thy  wife, 

"MoY  YEN." 

As  Ho  Chung  sat  in  rapt  meditation  over 
his  impending  happiness,  Chin  Lee  spoke. 
"  Never  speaks  heart  to  heart  so  sweetly,"  he 

6  81 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

began,  "  as  in  a  first  tender  passion  ;  and  no 
one  is  so  fit  to  interpret  its  soft  utterances  as 
a  man  of  feeling  and  experience, — and  that 
am  I.  The  bald  sentences  herein  contained 
had  bereft  the  day  of  sunlight  for  thee,  but 
they  glowed  when  they  had  been  passed 
through  the  crucible  of  my  fancy,  my  young 
goldsmith.  Hadst  thou  followed  thy  foolish 
impulse  to  take  the  letter  to  Ah  Moy — but 
why  should  I  defile  my  mouth  by  further 
mention  of  him :  he  is  a  mere  peddler  of 
common  speech ;  a  coolie  in  literature ! 
And  see,  my  fond  lover,  it  were  better  that 
the  memory  of  my  glowing  translation 
should  abide  with  thee  than  that  somebody 
should  expose  to  thee,  in  all  its  naked 
hideousness,  the  crude  work  of  the  scrivener 
who  wrote  this  letter  for  Moy  Yen.  Let  it 
have  burial  by  fire  ;"  and,  before  Ho  Chung 
could  guess  his  intention,  Chin  Lee  had 
thrust  the  letter,  that  had  to  be  destroyed, 
into  the  brazier  at  his  feet. 

83 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  What  hast  thou  done?"  said  Ho  Chung, 
angrily.     "Chin   Lee,   thou   hast    exceeded 
thy  functions,  and  for  small  excuse  I  would 
chastise  thee.     Moy  Yen's   letters   are    my        t/ 
only  comfort  in  a  strange  land."  \ 

"  Stay  thy  hand,  and  repress  thy  wrath," 
said  a  stout  Chinese  merchant,  regarding  Ho 
Chung  over  the  top  of  his  spectacles.  He 
had  arrived  in  time  to  witness  the  burning 
of  the  letter  by  Chin  Lee,  and  to  hear  Ho 
Chung's  outbreak.  It  was  Quong  Lung, 
who  maintained  his  evil  supremacy  by  ven 
turing  abroad  even  when  the  Wars  of  the 
Tongs  were  at  their  height,  although  there 
was  a  reward  on  his  head.  But  the  Seen 
Yups  are  numerous,  and  he  was  practically 
surrounded  by  a  body-guard  of  desperate 
hatchetmen  sworn  to  his  service.  In  the  — 1 
crowd  of  softly-shod  Orientals  who  sur 
rounded  him,  and  who  appeared  to  be  but  a  '^3^5 
part  of  the  shifting  crowd  that  ebbed  and 
flowed  along  the  street,  were  men  ready  to 
83 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

slay  any  one  who  made  a  movement  that 
menaced  Quong  Lung.  The  house  whence 
came  a  bullet  that  passed  through  his  sleeve 
the  preceding  week  was  burnt  the  same 
night ;  and  Chinatown  laughed  at  the  temer 
ity  of  the  tong  whose  hired  assassin  had  fired 
the  shot. 

"Chin  Lee,"  he  went  on,  "thy  rhetoric 
must  be  at  fault  to  have  roused  the  wrath  of 
this  worthy  sing-song" 

"  Dominator,"  replied  Chin  Lee,  "  I  had  it 
in  mind  to  favor  my  young  friend,  Ho 
Chung,  with  the  memories  of  a  perfervid 
translation  of  a  certain  letter  that  lacked 
rhetorical  merit.  But  Ho  Chung  hath  no 
love  for  literature  and  rounded  periods,  and 
resented  the  destruction  of  the  crude  message 
translated  by  me." 

"  Young  man,"  said  Quong  Lung,  as  he 
made  a  vivid  mental  note  of  Ho  Chung, 
"it  will  comfort  thee  to  know  that  Chin 
Lee,  master  of  many  words,  doeth  me  much 

34 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

favor  in  the  translation  of  certain  letters  that 
come  from  districts  where  they  use  speech 
unlike  ours." 

"  And  who  art  thou  *?"  asked  Ho  Chung, 
with  some  heat. 

"  I  am  that  Ouong  Lung  known  of  all 
men  in  Chinatown." 

"I  have  heard  of  thee, — heard  much  ill 
of  thee ;  and  I  like  thee  not,"  returned  Ho 
Chung  with  warmth. 

"  Did  they  tell,  too,  that  Chin  Lee  is  my 
friend*?"  asked  Quong  Lung,  apparently  ig 
noring  Ho  Chung's  exhibition  of  temper. 
"  Nay  *?  Well,  hear  it  then  from  my  lips ; 
and,  further,  let  me  tell  thee  that  those  who 
honor  him  honor  me.  Of  course,  thou  hast 
excuse  for  thy  temper, — and  I  will  not  notice 
it."  Then,  turning  to  the  scrivener,  he  went 
on:  "But,  Chin  Lee,  see  to  it  that  whilst 
the  letter  thou  hast  destroyed  is  fresh  in  thy 
mind  thou  dost  set  it  forth  in  thy  loftiest 
terms  in  writing  that  shall  serve  as  an  oint- 
85 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

ment  to  this  worthy  sing-song's  hurt."  And 
Quong  Lung  proceeded  slowly  along  the 
street,  apparently  unaware  of  the  fact  that 
all  men  looked  at  him. 

"  Thou  art,  indeed,  in  luck  this  day,  my 
rash  young  friend,"  said  Chin  Lee,  getting 
his  writing  implements  ready.  "  It  is  not 
given  to  many  men  to  express  dislike  of 
Quong  Lung  to  his  face,  and  be  excused 
thereafter  for  so  doing.  But  beware  lest  his 
Shadow  fall  upon  thee :  it  is  the  Mantle  of 
Death." 


86 


VIII 

LE    ROI    EST    MORT,  VIVE    LE    ROI 

SUEY  SEE  had  so  schooled  Moy  Yen 
during  the  long  voyage  concerning  the 
difficulty  of  landing  in  San  Francisco  except 
as  Chin  Lee's  daughter,  born  in  California, 
that  the  young  woman  made  no  demur  when 
she  was  told  that  Ho  Chung's  absence  from 
the  wharf  was  absolutely  necessary. 

"  Thy  love  for  the  beautiful  goldsmith, 
thy  husband,  will  betray  thee  in  the  presence 
of  the  officers  of  the  law,  and  then  they  will 
send  thee  back  across  the  cruel  sea." 

"  Heaven  be  praised  for  having  sent  me 
such  kind  friends  in  my  need  ;  for  consider, 
Suey  See,  I  have  been  bereft  of  my  babe, 
and  I  could  not  lose  my  lord,  too." 

Then,  too,  Quong  Lung's  influence  with 
87 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

those  who  are  concerned  with  the  adminis 
tration  of  the  Chinese  Exclusion  Act  had 
made  Moy  Yen's  landing  an  easy  matter. 

In  the  hack  in  which  she  was  taken  to 
one  of  Quong  Lung's  "  establishments"  she 
was  plied  with  sam  shu  so  cunningly  sophisti 
cated  that  she  was  scarcely  conscious  as  they 
thrust  her  into  the  padded  room  in  which 
Suey  See  had  said  Ho  Chung  awaited  her. 

That  same  evening  Chin  Lee,  partaking 
of  "black  smoke"  on  the  mat  in  Quong 
Lung's  inner  chamber,  addressed  the  latter 
thus :  "  Quong  Lung,  the  destruction  of  an 
important  writing  witnessed  by  thee  merits 
some  reward,  Fair  Dealer.  Its  capture  would 
have  made  trouble." 

"  Trouble  for  thee,  doubtless,  thou  mere 
son  of  a  great  artist." 

"  Nay,  Quong  Lung,  the  aged  and  infirm 
Chin  Sen,  my  honorable  parent,  had  failed 
in  his  part  had  I  not  instructed  him  so  care 
fully  that  he  could  not  make  a  mistake. 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

And,  surely,  he  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
burning  of  Moy  Yen's  letter." 

"Twas  a  worthy  burning,  Chin  Lee," 
said  Quong  Lung,  somewhat  thickly.  He 
had  been  partaking  unusually  freely  of  whis 
key  since  he  had  assisted  at  the  formalities 
connected  with  the  landing  of  his  "  covey  of 
partridges,"  as  he  styled  them  ;  and  the  beauty 
of  Moy  Yen  (who  was  now  his  property  by 
process  of  the  law  that  winks  at  such  trans 
actions)  appealed  strongly  to  him.  "Twas 
a  worthy  burning.  What  dost  thou  owe 
me  now  in  money  ?" 

"  Eighty-eight  dollars,  O  Soul  of  Gener 
osity,"  answered  Chin  Lee. 

"  Write  me  a  receipt  for  the  amount,  my 
Plotter,  and  I  will  sign  it." 

When  Chin  Lee  had  bestowed  the  receipt 
in  his  pocket-book,  he  said  with  all  the  non 
chalance  he  could  summon  to  his  aid :  "  And 
Moy  Yen,  my  daughter, — she  is  comely  *?" 

"  She  is  most  beautiful,  Chin  Lee.  It  is 
89 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

beyond  the  power  of  even  thy  rhetoric  to 
compass  her  praises,"  returned  Quong  Lung 
with  swelling  nostrils,  as  he  licked  his  lips. 

"Doubtless,  she  is  worth  the  scrap  of 
paper  that  was  found  untowardly  in  Ross 
Alley  ten  years  ago,"  said  Chin  Lee,  tenta 
tively,  trying  to  repress  any  evidence  of  the 
anxiety  that  racked  him. 

Quong  Lung  laid  down  his  pipe,  and  sat 
up  on  the  mat.  After  looking  among  the 
papers  in  his  pocket-book,  he  drew  forth  and 
handed  one  that  was  yellow  with  age  to 
Chin  Lee. 

"  Moy  Yen  is  so  beautiful,  Chin  Lee,  and 
thou  hast  managed  so  well  and  faithfully  in 
this  matter,  that  I  herewith  release  thee  from 
all  further  service  for  placing  her  in  my 
cage ;"  and  he  lay  down  on  the  mat  once 
more,  and  prepared  some  more  opium  for 
smoking. 

As  Chin  Lee  set  fire  to  the  fateful  writing 

at  the  oil  lamp  on  the  tray  beside  him,  and 
90 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

as  he  watched  it  burning  till  it  was  com 
pletely  consumed,  it  seemed  to  him  that  the 
shadow  of  Quong  Lung  had  fallen  from  his 
soul,  and  that  he  had  at  last  laid  the  grim 
ghost  that  had  haunted  him  for  ten  years  at 
the  bidding  of  the  tyrant  beside  him.  He 
should  at  last  walk  with  greater  confidence 
among  his  fellows,  and  the  day  should  be 
brighter  for  him,  he  thought.  If,  under  the 
stress  of  the  paper  that  he  had  just  destroyed, 
he  had  striven  in  the  service  of  rhetoric,  his 
fancy — now  released  from  Bondage — should 
soar  on  freer  pinions  and  in  loftier  flight. 
He  should  at  last  accomplish  something  that 
all  men  should  talk  about,  and  that  should 
become  a  classic  even  in  the  few  years  that 
remained  to  him. 

He  had  reached  thus  far  in  the  pleasant 
reverie  that  was  reflected  in  his  face,  when 
Quong  Lung,  noticing  his  rapt  air  and  in 
tuitively  getting  at  the  thought  in  his  mind, 
spoke  once  more  after  he  had  finished  his  pipe : 
91 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  But  always  thou  wilt  remember,  Chin 
Lee,"  he  began,  in  deeper  and  more  delib 
erate  tones  than  he  had  yet  used ;  "  always 
thou  wilt  remember, — whatever  may  happen, 
— that  thou  art  the  father  of  Moy  Yen,  and 
will  not  fail  in  such  paternal  services  as  she 
may  require  from  thee." 

And  the  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung,  that  had 
been  lifted  from  the  soul  of  Chin  Lee  for  a 
moment,  fell  once  more  upon  him  with  its 
gloomy  oppression. 


92 


IX 

THE   SHARPENING   OF   A   HATCHET 

CHIN  LEE  slept  but  little  that  night. 
The  waning  fear  of  detection  that  was 
connected  with  the  crime  of  ten  years  ago 
had  been  replaced  by  a  greater  dread  of  the 
very  possible  finding  of  Moy  Yen  by  Ho 
Chung.  And  Ho  Chung  was  young  and 
strong.  He  was  brave,  too ;  for  he  had  looked, 
without  flinching,  into  the  eyes  of  the  mighty 
Quong  Lung,  and  even  spoken  scornfully  to 
him.  And  he  was  very  much  in  love. 

Better  death  than  the  tyranny  of  the  fate 
ful  Quong  Lung,  who  only  lifted  a  lesser 
fear  to  impose  a  greater. 

Was  Quong  Lung  then  invincible  *?  Was 
he,  indeed,  Supreme  Master  in  the  art  of 
plotting  *?  Had  not  Chin  Lee  himself  shown 
93 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

Quong  Lung  that  he  could  plan  and  carry 
out  a  deep-laid  scheme  to  the  Master's  satis 
faction?  Had  not  Quong  Lung  compli 
mented  him  with  the  title  of  "  plotter"  *? 

When  the  dim  morning  light  straggled 
into  Chin  Lee's  room  through  the  chinks 
between  the  shutters  and  barricades,  it 
showed  him  gray  and  haggard,  but  with  an 
unmistakable  look  of  fixed  resolve  on  his 
face ;  for  he  had  thrown  the  die,  although 
his  life  might  be  the  forfeit  of  the  game  he 
was  about  to  play. 

One  thing  was  in  his  favor :  he  would 
have  the  advantage  of  striking  the  first 
blow,  and  at  a  time  of  his  own  choosing. 
And,  further,  he  would  strike  with  a  hatchet 
of  his  own  sharpening  ! 

When  the  day  dawned  that  should  bring 
the  ship  which  carried  Moy  Yen  to  San 
Francisco,  as  Ho  Chung  fondly  imagined, 
the  young  goldsmith  sought  Chin  Lee. 

94 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Come  with  me,"  he  began  with  a  beaming 
countenance ;  "  come  with  me,  Chin  Lee, 
and  help  me  to  welcome  my  wife,  Moy 
Yen.  I  shall  need  the  aid  of  thy  rhetoric." 

"  That  would  necessitate  the  closing  of 
my  scrivener's  stall  for  the  day,  thou  worthy 
goldsmith  ; — and  the  scrivener's  art  is  falling 
into  decay  by  reason  of  the  upspringing  of 
coolie  letter-writers  who  know  naught  of  the 
encyclopaedias  which  even  the  White  Devils 
read  and  admire." 

"  And  what  is  the  price  for  the  closing  of 
thy  stall  for  a  day,  Chin  Lee?" 

"  The  price,  my  affluent  young  friend,  is 
hard  to  be  appraised  in  terms  of  mere 
money :  posterity  will  have  to  suffer  if  I  ac 
company  thee,  for  I  am  laboring  and  urgent 
this  morning  to  bring  forth  sentences  of  ex 
ceeding  merit,  and  one  may  not  weigh  pearls  -~* "*" 
that  perish  against  winged  words  possessing 
immortal  youth  and  that  shall  enrich  gener 
ations  to  come." 

95 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"Will  five  dollars  suffice  thee?"  asked 
Ho  Chung. 

"  Five  dollars  would  scarcely  recompense 
my  conscience  for  withdrawing  my  accom 
plishments  from  the  realm  of  letters  for  an 
entire  day, — the  Gods  expect  service  for  the 
gifts  they  bestow.  But  in  thy  case, — and 
seeing  that  thou  hast  discriminated  between 
an  artist  and  a  coolie, — I  will  waive  the  dues 
that  are  properly  mine,  and  go  with  thee  to 
meet  thy  Moy  Yen." 

After  he  had  pocketed  his  fee,  and  placed 
his  writing-table  in  the  store  of  a  friend,  Chin 
Lee  accompanied  Ho  Chung  to  the  wharf, 
which  they  reached  whilst  the  day  was  at 
noon. 

There  was  hardly  any  one  on  the  wharf, 
for  the  signallers  at  Point  Lobos  had  seen  no 
signs  of  the  approach  of  the  City  of  Peking. 

To  and  fro  walked  Ho  Chung  and  the 
scrivener,  the  latter  trying  to  enliven  the 

dragging  hours  with  flowing  sentences  that 
96 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

fell  on  unheeding  ears,  for  Ho  Chung  was 
more  occupied  in  watching  the  point  round 
which  the  steamer  would  come  than  in  at 
tending  to  Chin  Lee. 

"  My  stomach  knocketh  shrewdly,"  said 
Chin  Lee  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon. 
"  'Twere  well,  my  patron,  to  assist  nature  to 
bear  up  against  the  strain  of  this  our  wait 
ing.  Besides,  thou,  too,  art  worn ;  and  it 
were  no  compliment  to  Moy  Yen  to  greet 
her  with  a  face  of  famine.  How  should  I 
produce  pearls  of  rhetoric  when  Hunger  lays 
his  hand  on  my  mouth?"  So  Ho  Chung 
unwillingly  accompanied  the  famished  and 
weary  scrivener  to  a  place  of  refreshment 
on  Market  Street,  where  even  a  Chinaman's 
money  will  procure  food  and  drink. 

Seeing  that  Ho  Chung  scarcely  touched 
the  food  placed  in  front  of  him,  Chin  Lee 
pressed  him  :  "  Eat,  my  young  friend.  Thou 
mayst  need  all  thy  strength  before  the  day 


97 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"What  dost  thou  mean?"  asked  Ho 
Chung,  eyeing  the  other  askance  for  a 
moment. 

"  We  who  have  studied  philosophy  have 
gained  mental  strength  and  quietude  which 
even  disappointment  may  not  disturb.  But 
thou  art  young,  and  headlong,  and  impatient, 
and  must  brace  thyself  with  food  and  drink 
lest  disappointment  come  to  thee  and  thy 
strength  fail." 

"  Disappointment  ?  What  Disappoint 
ment  ?"  asked  Ho  Chung. 

"  Nay  ;  how  should  I  know  ?  I  spoke 
of  disappointment  in  general  terms.  Thou 
wast  disappointed  this  morning,  for  instance, 
because  the  ship  did  not  arrive  at  the  time 
set  for  it,  and  thy  disappointment  hath  worn 
thee.  Eat,  therefore." 

After  they  had  finished  their  meal  they  re 
turned  to  the  wharf,  and  in  deference  to 
Chin  Lee's  weary  feet  they  sat  on  an  empty 
box  at  the  end  of  the  wharf  and  waited. 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

Presently  the  scene  on  the  wharf  became 
livelier,  and,  as  the  steamer  hove  into  sight, 
the  officials,  who  look  after  the  landing  of 
Chinese,  came  to  the  wharf,  and  Ho  Chung 
joined  them  as  he  had  been  instructed  to, 
Chin  Lee  accompanying  him. 

And  now  the  happy  moment  had  come 
when  Ho  Chung  should  once  more  have  sight 
of  his  wife,  Moy  Yen.  He  was  taken  into  the 
cabin  set  apart  for  Chinese  women.  "  Moy 
Yen,  Beloved,"  he  called  softly,  with  out 
stretched  hands,  as  he  entered  the  cabin.  But 
no  one  responded.  He  eagerly  scanned  the 
dull,  impassive  faces  of  the  women  before  him. 

"She  is,  doubtless,  in  some  other  apart 
ment,"  he  said,  addressing  the  interpreter. 
"  Send  for  her." 

"  Moy  Yen's  name  does  not  appear  on  the 
list  of  passengers.  You  must  have  made 
some  mistake.  Am  I  not  right,  sir?"  asked 
the  interpreter  of  the  ship's  officer  who  ac 
companied  them. 

99 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  We  did  not  carry  any  one  of  that  name," 
was  the  answer. 

A  great  fear  came  upon  Ho  Chung,  and 
he  trembled  so  that  he  was  forced  to  clutch 
Chin  Lee's  arm  as  they  left  the  vessel. 

"  Courage,  my  dear  young  friend  !  Call 
philosophy  to  thy  aid,"  urged  Chin  Lee. 
But  the  only  response  he  got  was,  "  Oh ! 
Moy  Yen,  Moy  Yen !  Where  art  thou, 
Beloved?" 

Chin  Lee  led  him  to  the  seat  they  had 
occupied  that   morning  at  the  end  of  the 
wharf.     Here  all  was  quiet  and  dark,  save      ) 
for  the  twinkling  of  the  stars  overhead. 


100 


THAT   LAUGHTER   IS   NOT   ALWAYS 
PLEASANT 


my   poor    young    Friend! 
Thou  shalt  yet  find    Moy  Yen,"  be 
gan  Chin  Lee. 

Orion's  glittering  belt,  and  glorious  Sirius 
shining  in  the  wonderful  blue-black  of  the 
sky  of  a  Californian  night  swept  by  a  north 
wind,  made  no  impression  on  Ho  Chung, 
who  moaned  at  intervals  :  "  Oh,  Moy  Yen, 
Moy  Yen  !  Where  art  thou  ?" 

"  Listen,  Ho  Chung  ;  I  will  tell  thee." 
"  What  !  thou  canst  tell  me  where  Moy 
Yen  is,  and  thou  didst  not  tell  me  before  !" 
said  Ho  Chung,  clutching  the  other's  arm. 
"Explain  thyself,  scrivener,  —  and  in  few 
words  ;  otherwise  thou  art  treading  the  path 
that  leads  to  death." 


101 


Tire  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

'•'*!  will  tell  thee  a  plain  tale,"  replied  Chin 
Lee,  who  had  prepared  himself  for  the  occa 
sion.  "  And  if  I  appear  to  lie  to  thee,  let 
this  be  the  instrument  of  my  destruction,"  and 
he  drew  a  formidable  knife  from  his  mysterious 
blouse  and  handed  it  to  Ho  Chung. 

"  Ten  years  ago,"  he  resumed,  "  I,  too,  had 
a  mistress " 

"But  Moy  Yen  is  my  wife!"  interrupted 
Ho  Chung. 

"  But  a  mistress  is  ever  dearer  than  a  wife, 
my  inexperienced  friend !  Yes,  Yu  Moy 
was  fairer  even  than  my  words  can  tell ;  and 
Shan  Toy  stole  her  from  me.  And,  there 
after,  he  was  found  dead  in  Ross  Alley,  with 
a  writing  in  his  hand  that  would  have  given 
me  to  the  rope  of  the  white  hangman  ;  and 
the  writing  fell  into  the  hands  of  Quong 
Lung — who  hath  done  thee  much  wrong. 
For  ten  years  Quong  Lung  hath " 

"  But  this  relateth  not  to  Moy  Yen,"  said 
Ho  Chung,  impatiently. 


102 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  It  lies  closer  to  her  than  her  garments," 
said  Chin  Lee.  "  Listen  :  With  proof  in  his 
hand  that  would  hang  me,  Quong  Lung 
(than  whom  a  more  cruel  and  cunning  fiend 
does  not  exist  in  hell !)  has  made  me  the 
slave  of  his  iniquities.  He  hath  stricken 
me  dumb  with  the  terror  of  his  ever  present 
shadow."  He  ceased  for  a  moment  while 
Ho  Chung,  never  relaxing  his  grasp  on  Chin 
Lee's  arm,  took  a  deep  breath  with  distended 
nostrils. 

"  Proceed." 

"  Oh,  my  Brother  in  Affliction  !"  resumed 
Chin  Lee;  "he  hath  wrought  thee  much 
wrong.  But  why  waste  words:  thou  didst 
flout  him  openly  the  first  time  thou  sawest 
him,  and  it  was  told  in  Chinatown ;  and,  so, 
the  shadow  of  Quong  Lung  hath  fallen  upon 
thee,  too." 

"  But  Moy  Yen — tell  me  of  Moy  Yen  !" 

"  Quong  Lung  hath  stricken  thee  through 

her." 

103 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"Is  she  dead?"  demanded  Ho  Chung 
fiercely,  increasing  the  pressure  on  the  other's 
arm. 

"  No ;  there  are  things  worse  than  death, 
and  Moy  Yen,  by  the  laws  of  the  White 
Devils,  is  now  slave  to  Quong  Lung,  and 
penned  up  in  his  house  of  ill-fame  on 
Waverley  Place, — nay,  friend,  the  clutch  of 
thy  hand  is  too  shrewd, — and  I  am  an  old 
man, — and  my  flesh  is  tender." 

"And  thou  hadst  knowledge  of  all  this, 
and  didst  not  tell  me!"  said  Ho  Chung, 
without  heeding  Chin  Lee's  last  remark. 

"  It  would  not  have  availed  thee,  Ho 
Chung :  Quong  Lung  hath  many  tools ; 
and,  besides,  to  have  told  thee  would  have 
involved  thy  taking  off." 

"  That  would  have  been  merciful,  at  any 
rate.  Proceed." 

"  See,  Ho  Chung,  I  am  old  enough  to  be 
thy  father,  and,  therefore,  wiser  and  more  ex 
perienced.  If  thou  wilt  let  me  guide  thee 
104 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

in  this  matter  we  will  rid  the  world  of  a 
monster,  and  thou  shalt  have  thy  Moy  Yen 
again." 

"  Have  Moy  Yen  again ! — Moy  Yen  dis 
honored  !  Ha,  ha,  ha !"  and  Ho  Chung, 
who  was  ordinarily  undemonstrative,  after 
the  manner  of  his  race,  went  off  into  a 
shriek  of  hysterical  laughter.  "  I  loved 
Moy  Yen — ho,  ho,  ho,  ho ! — and  she  was 
abducted  from  me — with  thy  knowledge — 
ha,  ha,  ha  ! — and  I  am  to  rid  the  world  of 
Quong  Lung  to  serve  thy  ends,  and,  as  re 
ward,  receive  Moy  Yen,  whose  honor  hath 
been  soiled — oh,  ye  Gods  !  this  is  just  cause 
for  exceeding  mirth — ha,  ha,  ha,  ha !" 

At  the  first  peal  of  wild  laughter  Chin 
Lee's  heart  beat  fast,  and  a  chill  fear  struck 
him.  "  Madness  hath  seized  upon  him," 
he  thought.  As  Ho  Chung  proceeded,  the 
scrivener's  terror  increased.  With  a  sudden 
effort  he  wrenched  himself  free,  and  made  a 
dash  to  escape. 

105 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  The  shadow  of  Quong  Lung  hath  cov 
ered  thee  to-night,"  shouted  Ho  Chung,  as 
he  overtook  Chin  Lee,  and  buried  the  knife 
to  the  hilt  between  his  shoulders. 

He  tossed  the  dying  man  into  the  bay, 
and,  after  cleansing  his  hands  and  his  weapon 
at  a  faucet  on  the  wharf  from  which  he  had 
drunk  that  afternoon,  he  turned  his  steps 
towards  Waverley  Place, — and  Moy  Yen. 


106 


XI 

AS   OVERHEARD   IN   A   CROWD 

THE  house  in  which  Moy  Yen  was  at 
present  confined  consisted  of  a  long 
passage,  into  which  rooms  but  little  larger 
than  cells  opened.  Each  room  had  a  window 
with  heavy  iron  bars,  through  which  those 
who  were  in  the  passage  could  see  the  girls 
within. 

Round  each  window,  as  Ho  Chung  en 
tered,  was  a  polyglot  crowd,  whose  size  was 
in  proportion  to  the  beauty  of  the  occupant 
of  the  room.  So  thick  was  the  press  round 
one  window  that  Ho  Chung — though  in 
sistent  and  impatient,  besides  being  heavier 
and  taller  than  those  present — could  not 
force  his  way  to  the  front,  but  had  to  wait 

his  turn. 

107 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

One  glance  over  the  heads  of  those  in 
front  of  him  showed  him  Moy  Yen  sitting 
on  the  side  of  a  bed.  She  was  dressed  in 
black  velvet,  and  her  head  gear  was  loaded 
with  jewellery.  In  the  lobes  of  her  ears 
were  heavy  rings  that  hung  almost  to  her 
shoulders ;  and  on  her  wrists  were  massive 
jade  bracelets.  Ready  to  her  hand,  on  the 
bed,  lay  a  wicked-looking  knife  which  her 
father  had  given  her  when  he  bade  her  good- 
by  at  Hong  Kong.  ("  Let  it  guard  thy 
honor,  Little  One,  if  need  be,"  he  had  said.)  7 

She  had  an  expression  of  intense  sadness 
on  her  face ;  and  she  appeared  to  look 
through  and  beyond  the  crowd  gazing 
upon  her. 

"They  say  that  she  hath  been  but  two 
weeks  in  San  Francisco,"  said  a  young 
Chinese  "  blood"  in  the  crowd  to  his  pam 
pered  friend.  "  If  these  coolies  would  but 
remove  themselves,  we  might  at  least  look 
upon  her  beauty,  which  is  much  spoken  of." 

108 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

Ho  Chung,  who  stood  immediately  be 
hind  the  speaker,  had  it  in  mind  to  slay  him 
there  and  then,  but  that  would  have  inter 
fered  with  far  more  important  matters. 

"  She  hath  a  sorrow  that  adds  to  her 
beauty,  methinks,"  remarked  the  well-fed 
friend,  who  was  in  a  better  position  to  see 
Moy  Yen.  He  put  his  head  to  one  side 
critically,  and  smacked  his  lips  as  he  regarded 
her. 

"  I  overheard  one  say  at  the  restaurant, 
last  night,  that  Quong  Lung  gave  Chin  Lee 
the  scrivener,  whose  daughter  she  is  alleged 
to  be,  three  thousand  dollars  for  her,"  re 
marked  the  young  Chinese  man-about-town. 
(Ho  Chung  smiled  grimly  at  this,  and  the 
thought  of  what  had  but  just  happened  on 
the  wharf  shot  one  ray  of  comfort  into  the 
sorrow  at  his  heart.) 

"Quong  Lung  never  made  a  better  in 
vestment,  Lee  Yung,  and  he  is  no  mean 
appraiser  of  flesh,"  returned  the  man  who 
109 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

fulfilled  the  Psalmist's  description  of  the 
ungodly,  "  whose  eyes  swell  with  fatness, 
and  they  do  even  what  they  lust." 

"  I  am  told,  too,  that  she  will  admit  no 
one  into  her  room ;  not  even  a  woman. 
Quey  Lem,  the  old  hag  who  looks  after  the 
girls  here,  told  me  last  night  that  Quong 
had  her  put  into  this  cell  three  days  ago  as  a 
punishment,  because  she  discouraged  his 
advances  with  a  knife " 

"  It  is  on  the  bed  beside  her,"  interrupted   I 
the  stout  man,  catching  sight  of  the  knife. 

"  It  is  a  great  telling,  Nu  Fong,"  went 
on  the  man  of  fashion,  and  the  crowd,  whom 
he  elegantly  ignored,  listened  to  his  "  telling." 
"  I  am  in  favor  with  Quey  Lem  for  very 
good  reasons,"  began  Lee  Yung :  "  I  give 
her  a  trifle  occasionally  for  taking  thought 
of  me  ;"  and  he  looked  round  arrogantly  at 
Ho  Chung,  who  had  trodden  on  his  heel  as 
he  advanced  an  inch  in  the  forward  move 
ment  to  the  window. 

no 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"She  was  like  a  wild-cat  newly  caged, 
Quey  Lem  told  me,"  resumed  Lee  Yung ; 
"  and  she  would  have  died  of  inanition — for 
she  refused  to  eat  or  drink." 

"  What  made  her  give  so  much  trouble, 
Lee  Yung?" 

"  Oh,  she  hath  a  lover,  or  a  husband, — 
some  such  obstacle, — whom  she  expected  to 
meet  in  San  Francisco ;  and  Quong  Lung 
diverted  her  from  him." 

"  Ho,  ho,  ho  !"  laughed  Nu  Fong.  " '  Di 
verted*  is  good !  But  why  did  she  not  die 
of  starvation  ?" 

"  Thy  academic  career,  Nu  Fong,  hath 
been  sadly  neglected.  If  you  were  a  '  Native 
Son,'  as  I  am,  you  would  know  that  these 
White  Devils  can  steal  one's  senses  by 
poisoning  the  air  one  breathes ;  and  that 
when  one  is  in  that  condition  they  can  feed 
him  through  tubes  let  into  the  stomach 
through  the  mouth." 

"  That  is  a  joyless  way  of  taking  one's 


in 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

sustenance,  Lee  Yung ;  and  an  insult  to  the 
palate  that  hath  its  inalienable  rights." 

By  this  time  they  had  advanced  close 
enough  to  the  window  to  give  Lee  Yung  a 
full  view  of  Moy  Yen,  who  now  sat  list 
lessly  with  downcast  eyes. 

"  By  the  Grave  of  my  Father  !"  exclaimed 
Lee  Yung ;  "  rumor  hath  not  lied  for  once. 
From  the  crown  of  her  head  to  her  little 
feet  she  is  formed  for  the  uses  and  offices  of 
love."  More  he  was  not  permitted  to  say, 
for  Ho  Chung,  taking  firm  hold  of  the 
young  men's  queues,  knocked  their  heads 
together. 

"  Have  ye  no  respect  for  beauty  in  dis 
tress,  ye  pampered  dogs  ?"  he  asked,  angrily. 
"  Nay ;  make  no  motion,  lest  ye  die  suddenly." 

He  thrust  them  to  one  side,  and  stepped 
to  the  window.  The  sound  of  his  angry 
voice  had  attracted  the  other  crowds  in  the 
passage,  and,  as  they  surged  towards  him,  he 
warned  them  back  with  an  imperious  gesture. 


112 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  The  young  woman  within  is  Moy  Yen, 
my  wife,  who  hath  been  stolen  from  me.  I 
would  have  speech  with  her,  and  I  would 
not  be  overheard.  Let  this  argument  per 
suade  ye  to  keep  back,"  and  he  drew  a  knife 
from  his  sleeve. 


113 


XII 

THAT   IRON   BARS   ARE   INEFFECTUAL 
SOMETIMES 

A, 

WHEN  Moy  Yen  heard  Ho  Chung's 
voice  she  raised  her  head  and  ran  to 
the  window ;  and  when  the  crowd  had  fallen 
back  at  Ho  Chung's  bidding,  he  turned  to 
Moy  Yen,  and  clasped  the  hands  she  had 
extended  through  the  bars. 

"Oh!  Moy  Yen,  Moy  Yen,  the  Gods 
that  were  sworn  to  protect  thee  are  false, — 
and  there  are  no  Gods,  but  only  devils  of 
greater  or  lesser  degree.  Oh !  Little  One, 
how  earnest  thou  here*?" 

"  My  Beautiful  Lord,"  she  replied ;  "  Suey 

See,  the  wife  of  one  Quong  Lung,  showed  me 

and  my  father  letters  in  Hong  Kong  written 

for  thee  by  Chin  Lee,  thy  so  great  friend,  and 

114 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

they  said  I  was  to  put  myself  in  charge  of 
Suey  See,  who  would  give  me  honorable 
escort  to  San  Francisco.  And  so  I  came." 

"  But  this  was  to  be  the  day  of  thy  arrival." 

"  Thy  letters,  My  Lord,  said  I  was  to 
start  two  weeks  earlier  than  the  time  agreed 
upon,  and  I  but  obeyed  thee.  But  now  you 
will  take  me  hence,  my  Lord  and  Master." 

"  Yes ;  thou  shalt  certainly  escape  hence, 
my  Best  Beloved ;  but  the  time  for  thy 
escape  is  short,  and  I  have  much  to  ask 
thee.  Where  wast  thou  taken  on  the  day 
of  thy  arrival*?" 

"To  the  house  of  Quong  Lung.  But 
why  dost  thou  ask,  Ho  Chung  ?"  and  she 
raised  pleading  eyes  to  his  face. 

"  Tell  me  all,  my  Heart ;  and  make  haste, 
oh,  make  haste  ! — the  time  is  short." 

"  Of  anything  that  happened  I  am  entirely 
innocent,  my  Husband ;  for  they  led  me  to  a 
chamber  where  they  said  I  should  find  thee, 
— but  thou  wast  not  there ;  and  soon  after, 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

and  whilst  I  wept,  the  drugged  food  and  drink 
they  had  given  me  after  I  left  the  ship  bereft 
me  of  my  senses,  and  I  fell  into  a  deep  sleep." 

She  stopped  to  weep  awhile,  until  Ho 
Chung  bade  her  proceed. 

"When  I  woke,  dear  Master,  a  light 
burned  in  the  room ;  and  one,  whom  I  now 
know  to  be  Quong  Lung,  stood  beside  me 
with  hungry  eyes.  And  he  spoke  to  me — 
such  things  as  only  lovers  say  to  one  another. 
But,  when  he  laid  a  desecrating  hand  on  my 
shoulder,  I  leapt  from  the  bed  and  made  at 
him  with  the  knife  that  was  concealed  in  my 
sleeve,  and  which  I  have  so  far  managed  to 
hide  from  my  foes.  So  Quong  Lung  fled, 
and  the  door  closed  behind  him  with  a  snap ; 
and  I  could  not  beat  it  down,  nor  wrench 
away  the  bars  from  the  window.  I  was  as  a 
bird  in  a  cage,  and,  therefore,  I  could  but  cry 
for  help — but  none  came.  Every  night  a 
strange  heaviness  comes  upon  me,  and  the 

air  of  my  room  becomes  impregnated  with 
116 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

a  sweet  heavy  odor ;  and  thereafter,  in  a  half- 
swoon,  I  either  see  or  dream  that  strange 
men  and  an  old  woman  are  about  me ;  and 
when  I  wake  I  neither  care  to  eat  nor  drink. 
And,  because  I  persisted  in  repelling  Quong 
Lung,  I  was  brought  here  by  means  unknown 
to  me ;  and  here  men,  with  hideous  passions 
and  evil  looks,  come  and  stare  at  me  in  my 
helpless  captivity,  and  say  abominable  things 
to  me.  And  I  am  to  stay  here  till  I  yield 
myself  to  Quong  Lung, — but  I  would 
sooner  die,  Ho  Chung,  my  Husband,  as 
thou  must  know  in  thy  heart.  And  now 
take  me  hence." 

"Thou  Brave,  and  Beautiful,  and  Faith 
ful  ! — but,  oh,  Moy  Yen,  thou  art,  indeed, 
like  a  bird  in  a  cage,  and  I  am  powerless  to 
free  thee — except  in  one  way.  Yes,  indeed, 
thou  must  escape  hence,  for  this  is  the  abode 
of  Dishonor,  and  better  death  than  dis 
honor  !  Courage !  the  road  to  freedom  is 

not  so  hard  to  travel.     See,  Little  One,  come 
117 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

nearer,  for  fear  any  one  in  the  crowd  should 
hear  our  speech  and  report  to  Quong  Lung. 
So ;  press  thy  bosom  to  the  bars,  so  that  I 
may  feel  the  beating  of  thy  faithful  heart. 
Now  close  thine  eyes,  for  beautiful  as  they 
are  thy  face  hath  another  beauty  when  thine 
eyes  are  closed — as  I  have  often  seen  when 
thou  hast  slept." 

Therefore  Moy  Yen  closed  her  eyes,  and 
pressed  her  bosom  against  the  bars  of  the 
window. 

"My  husband,"  she  murmured,  "now 
thou  art  come,  I  am  happy  once  more." 

Ho  Chung  placed  his  hand  where  he 
could  feel  the  beating  of  her  heart. 

"  'Twas  here  Thine-and-Mine  used  to  re 
pose,  Cherry  Blossom !"  As  he  spoke,  he 
steadied  the  point  of  the  knife  with  the  hand 
he  had  laid  on  her  breast,  and,  before  any 
one  in  the  crowd  could  guess  his  intention, 
he  drove  it  through  her  heart  with  a  swift 
blow  from  the  other  hand. 

118 


XIII 

AN   ACCIDENT   IN   CHINATOWN 

THE  crowd  broke  and  fled  in  wild  dis 
order,  as  Ho  Chung  turned  from  the 
window.  With  Moy  Yen's  dying  scream 
ringing  in  his  ears,  he  strode  rapidly  towards 
Quong  Lung's  abode,  whither  he  had  been 
preceded — during  his  interview  with  Moy 
Yen — by  Wau  Shun,  who  acted  as  "  bully" 
at  the  establishment  on  Waverley  Place.  He 
was  one  of  the  most  dangerous  high-binders 
in  Chinatown,  for  he  was  backed  by  the  full 
weight  of  Quong  Lung's  power ;  moreover, 
no  man  knew  what  he  intended,  or  where  he 
was  looking,  because  of  his  atrocious  squint. 
At  present  he  was  undergoing  a  severe  cas- 
tigation  of  words  from  Quong  Lung,  and 

writhing  under  the  lash  of  his  master's  scorn. 
119 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  So ;  thou  art  not  ashamed  to  take  the 
wages  of  a  man,  and  to  run  like  a  woman, 
Wau  Shun  !  Doubtless,  thy  constant  asso 
ciation  with  the  women  thou  hast  in  keeping 
has  turned  thy  blood  to  milk.  Ho  Chung 
is  but  a  boy  beside  thee  in  years." 

"  Nay,  Compeller,  I  am  here  in  thy  best 
interests,  for  Ho  Chung  will  arrive  presently, 
and  I  am  come  to  protect  thee." 

"  Protect  me !  Does  the  jackal  protect 
the  lion?" 

"  Nay,  Most  Powerful ;  but  there  is  a 
killing  forward,  and  thy  honorable  hands 
must  not  be  soiled  with  blood." 
.  "  Oh !  And  why  didst  thou  not  do  thy 
office  at  thy  post,  my  considerate  jackal? 
Thou  hadst  thy  fangs  with  thee." 

"  I  could  not  use  powder  and  lead,  Great 
Master,  for  fear  of  killing  Moy  Yen." 

"Were  thy  knife  and  hatchet  blunt, 
then?" 

"  Ho  Chung's  wrath  was  terrible  to  be- 

120 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

hold,  Quong   Lung ;   even   the    crowd   fell 
back   before   it, — for  he  is  tall  and  strong,    \ 
and  he  appeared  to  be  demented." 

"  It  is  plainly  to  be  seen  that  thy  courage 
is  no  better  than  that  of  the  women  in  thy 
charge.  And  to  talk  to  me  of  blood  ! — and 
killing  !  As  though  a  Master  of  Accidents 
hath  any  need  to  imbrue  his  hands  in  vulgar 
things  !  But  stay  in  the  room,  and  keep  thy 
arguments  of  powder  and  lead  in  readiness 
lest  they  should  be  needed." 

He  walked  down  the  passage,  and  bolted 
the  barricade  across  it ;  it  was  a  flimsy  affair 
of  latticed  slats,  and  would  readily  yield  to 
the  pressure  of  a  man's  shoulder, — but  there 
was  a  thread  stretched  across  the  passage  a 
foot  in  front  of  the  barricade,  which  Quong 
Lung  facetiously  named  "  The  Thread  of 
Destiny." 

Returning  to  the  room,  which  was  bril 
liantly  illuminated,  he  threw  the  door  open, 
so  that  he  should  be  plainly  seen  by  any 


121 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

one  entering  the  passage ;  and  leaning  care 
lessly  against  the  door-post,  he  smoked 
awhile  in  silence.  Presently,  he  opened  the 
door  leading  into  the  street  by  pressing  on  a 
spring,  and  calmly  awaited  events. 

He  had  scarcely  completed  these  details, 
when  Ho  Chung  flung  himself  into  the  pas 
sage,  brandishing  a  knife  in  his  hands. 

"  Thou  villain,  Quong  Lung  !"  he  shouted, 
"  thank  the  Gods,  I  have  found  thee  !" 

As  Ho  Chung  put  his  weight  against  the 
barricade,  he  broke  the  thread  in  front  of  it, 
and  a  hundred-weight  of  iron  descended  on 
his  head  from  a  trap  in  the  ceiling  of  the 
passage,  and  killed  him  instantly. 


122 


PART  III 

* 
A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 


123 


I 


COMPLIMENTS  PASS  WHEN  GENTLEFOLK 
MEET 

SOME  of  them  sat  about  the  room  in 
various  easy  attitudes,  smoking  and 
talking  at  intervals  of  current  events  in 
Chinatown;  whilst  others  wandered  about  in 
that  aimless  fashion  that  is  so  characteristic  of 
the  Chinaman  when  inside  of  a  house.  They 
were  the  head  men  of  one  of  the  most  im 
portant  tongs  of  the  See  Yup's,  and  they  were 
awaiting  the  arrival  of  Quong  Lung,  without 
whom  no  business  was  ever  transacted. 

"  Was  ever  pork  so  cheap  ?"  exclained 
Lee  Yup,  the  portly  butcher  of  Dupont 
Street.  "  And  feed  for  the  beasts  is  extremely 
scarce  by  reason  of  the  drought.  Why, 
such  fruit  as  one  gathered  from  the  dealers 
125 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

for  the  taking  of  it  away  last  year  is  now 
being  peddled  at  the  doors  of  the  White 
Devils  south  of  Market  Street  for  two  cents 
a  found!  An  honest  man  may  not  live  in 
these  days." 

"  And  yet  it  is  to  be  seen  of  all  men  that 
Lee  Yup  continues  to  wax  fat,"  said  Ah 
Foon,  who  was  the  bitter  wag  of  the 
assembly.  A  momentary  smile  flickered  on 
the  faces  of  those  present,  and  as  suddenly 
went  out.  "  But,"  he  went  on,  "  Lee  Yup 
knows  by  the  help  of  his  household  Gods 
that  many  deaths  will  ensue  this  year  by 
reason  of  drought,  and  that  many  hogs  will 
be  roasted  for  the  souls  of  the  dead  to  the 
benefit  of  his  purse,  and  so  he  spareth  not 
his  diet.  Famine  is  his  friend." 

Ah  Foon  managed  a  "  bureau  of  informa 
tion."  He  was  one  of  Quong  Lung's  many 
trusted  lieutenants,  and  his  "  information" 
often  resulted  in  "  serious  accidents"  to  those 

informed  against. 

126 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

So  Lee  Yup  did  not  show  any  open  resent 
ment  at  his  speech.  His  little  slant  eyes 
closed  as  he  smiled.  He  did  not  care  to  be 
laughed  at  any  more  than  a  Christian,  but  he 
possessed  the  supreme  tact  of  an  Oriental  .  .  . 
and  he  bethought  himself  that  Ah  Foon  had 
a  beautiful  young  wife — and  owed  money  to 
Quong  Lung — and  that  he  alone  of  those 
present  knew  that  Moy  Yen,  who  had  been 
their  "property"  for  a  brief  fortnight,  had 
just  been  killed  by  her  husband  by  way  of 
saving  her  from  dishonor — and  his  knowledge 
comforted  him  ! 

"  The  ripple  of  thy  mirth,  Ah  Foon,"  he 
said,  "  is  as  pleasant  as  the  tinkle  of  a  laugh 
ing  water-fall  when  the  hot  wind  blows " 

"  Or  as  the  crackling  of  crisp  hog's  skin 
under  the  teeth  of  a  hungry  man,"  retorted 
Ah  Foon. 

"  Ho,  ho !"  laughed  those  assembled  in  a 
subdued  way ;  and  Lee  Yup's  laughter  was 

as  sincere  as  that  of  the  rest. 
127 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

At  this  juncture  Quong  Lung  entered  the 
room  fresh  from  the  "accident"  to  Ho 
Chung. 

"  Brothers,"  he  said,  taking  the  chair  at  the 
head  of  the  table,  "  I  have  bad  news  for  ye : 
Moy  Yen,  but  an  hour  ago,  was  stabbed  by 
a  madman  whose  insanity  deluded  him  into 
thinking  that  she  was  his  wife." 

"  Was  ever  such  ill  luck  *?"  exclaimed  Ah 
Nam,  who  ran  a  swell  gambling  house. 

"The  loss  is  irreparable,"  joined  in  Ah 
Foon.  "  She  was  extremely  beautiful,  and 
worth  many  thousand  dollars, — and  got  with 
so  little  money  and  much  trouble." 

"  Ah  Foon  is  a  judge  of  beauty,"  said  Lee 
Yup,  suavely  ;  "  he  hath  a  beautiful  wife  him 
self  who  is  late  come  from  China, — and  he 
speaks  with  authority  in  matters  pertaining 
to  beauty." 

"  My  wife  may  not  be  mentioned  in  the 
same  breath  with  the  woman  who  was  killed," 

retorted  Ah  Foon  with  tense  nostrils. 
128 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

"  Moy  Yen  was  not  less  beautiful  than  she," 
returned  the  portly  pork-butcher,  "and  not 
less  innocent  we  know, — and  God  knows." 

Foreseeing  what  was  coming,  Quong  Lung, 
who  sat  next  to  Ah  Foon,  caught  the  latter's 
arm  in  his  powerful  grip  as  Ah  Foon  reached 
for  his  revolver. 

"  How  foolish  is  this  warring  between 
brethren  !"  he  said,  sententiously.  "  I  de 
clare  this  assembly  dissolved.  Go  home  to 
thy  wife — thy  so  beautiful  wife, — Ah  Foon  ; 
I  will  discipline  Lee  Yup  for  flouting  thee." 

After  the  others  had  gone,  Quong  Lung 
and  Lee  Yup  took  some  slight  comfort  in  a 
pipe  of  "  black  smoke" ;  after  which  they 
adjourned  to  a  saloon  at  the  end  of  Kearney 
Street.  When  they  turned  their  faces  home 
ward  after  much  and  earnest  conversation  in  a 
quiet  room  over  "  hot  arrack,"  Quong  Lung, 
regarding  the  silent  stars,  said :  "  So  Luey 
See,  wife  to  Ah  Foon,  is  not  less  beautiful 
than  our  dead  Moy  Yen  ?" 

9  I29 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"As  that  cluster  of  stars  yonder  is  my 
witness,"  answered  Lee  Yup  dramatically, 
pointing  to  the  completest  miracle  in  the 
heavens — the  wonder  of  Orion  in  California 
when  the  sky  is  clear  and  the  north  wind 
blows, — "  Luey  See  is  incomparable  ;  and — 
and — Ah  Foon  is  thy  debtor." 

"Yes*?" 

"  And  yesterday  I  saw  Luey  See  and  Ah 
Foon  entering  a  place  where  pictures  are 
made  by  the  aid  of  the  sun." 

"  So." 

"So  I  entered  after  they  had  left,  and 
bought  this  her  presentment  for  thee  to 
see,"  and  Lee  Yup  handed  Quong  Lung 
a  picture. 

"  By  the  Great  Gods,  she  is  most  beauti 
ful  !"  exclaimed  Quong  Lung,  regarding  the 
picture  with  head  aslant  in  front  of  an 
illuminated  window. 

"  And  Ah  Foon  is  hopelessly  in  thy  debt  *?" 

suggested  Lee  Yup. 

130 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

"  Y-e-s,"  replied  Quong  Lung. 

"  And  thou  wilt  need  some  one  to  take 
Moy  Yen's  place  at  thy  '  establishment'  ?" 

"  Mayhap." 

"  And,  perchance,  Ah  Foon  hath  betrayed 
our  tong" 

"  Ah !  proceed,"  answered  Quong  Lung, 
somewhat  impatiently  flicking  the  ash  off 
his  cigar. 

"And  those  who  betray  their  tongs  are 
liable  to — death?"  asked  Lee  Yup  with  a 
note  of  exultation  in  his  voice. 

"  Yes,"  was  the  firm  reply. 

"  Quong  Lung,  thou  art  a  Great  Reformer 
and  Thinker ;  tell  me,  are  there  worse  things 
than  death  by  bludgeon  and  hatchet  and 
revolver?" 

"  The  Trail  of  my  Shadow  involveth  many 
things,  Lee  Yup." 

"  Is  the  *  Civil  Death'  worse  ?" 

"It  might  be  made  worse, — at  the  sug 
gestion  of  thy  ingenuity,  Lee  Yup." 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  My  '  ingenuity'  hath  already  moved  in 
the  matter,  my  Chief:  the  laws  of  the  tongs 
award  the  wives  of  traitors  to  the — the 
Strong." 

"  The  Strong  will  attend  to  the  matter 
forthwith,"  was  Quong  Lung's  quiet  assur 
ance. 


132 


II 

DEBTOR    AND    CREDITOR 


next  day  Ah  Foon  presented  him- 
self  at  Quong  Lung's  store,  at  the 
bidding  of  the  latter;  —  for  Quong  Lung  was 
accustomed  to  having  his  summons  obeyed. 

"  Ah  Foon,"  began  the  great  man,  "  what 
hast  thou  to  say  in  the  matter  of  that  twelve 
hundred  dollars  thou  owest  me  *?" 

"  The  terror  of  thy  name  has  become  so 
great,  Quong  Lung,  that  the  wars  of  the 
tongs  have  come  to  an  end  ;  and  law  and 
order  —  thy  law  and  order,  to  use  thy  phrase 
—  are  now  established  in  Chinatown.  But, 
doubtless,  the  wicked  will  again  assault  thy 
supremacy,  and  my  bureau  will  be  enabled 
to  pay  thee  in  service,  by  earning  thy  rewards 
for  information." 

133 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Meantime,  as  them  hast  said,  the  wars 
of  the  tongs  are  at  an  end,  and  my  agent  in 
Hong  Kong  is  clamorous  for  one  thousand 
dollars.  Read  for  thyself,"  and  Quong  Lung 
handed  Ah  Foon  a  letter  and  a  bill  of  lading. 

Having  perused  the  papers,  Ah  Foon  laid 
them  on  the  table,  and  said,  "  The  word  of 
our  people  is  better  than  the  bond  of  the 
White  Devils,  Quong  Lung;  the  writing 
calleth  for  payment  any  time  within  the 
next  six  months.  Why  this  haste  on  thy 
part  to  anticipate  thy  dues?" 

"  Because  it  is  the  secret  of  my  so  great 
success,  Ah  Foon ;  and  the  payment  of  thy 
dues  to  me  has  become  necessary  to  the 
course  of  my  business, — and  my  so  great 
success." 

"  Thou  hast  other  debtors,  Quong  Lung, 
with  more  available  assets ;  why  distress  me 
who  will  pay  thee  ere  the  season  of  the  New 
Year?" 

"  Nay,  Ah  Foon,"  returned  Quong  Lung, 
'34 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

carelessly  ;  "  them  hast  assets  far  mor  claimed 
able' — thine  own  phrase — than  any  of 
many  debtors :  assets  far  more  available--*,  in- 
more  valuable !"  ^ken 

"  Thou  art  in  merry  mood  this  mon,  hat 
Quong  Lung,"  answered  the  other,  smili  ie 
obsequiously.  "  I  am  on  the  wrong  side  or 
my  credit,  and  walk  with  the  patience  of  the 
other  man,  as  the  White  Devils  say." 

"  And  that  is  ended  as  far  as  I  am  con 
cerned,"  said  Quong  Lung,  arrogantly.  "  I 
demand  a  settlement, — a  settlement  this  very 
day." 

"  A  bold  creditor  can  put  up  with  much 
flouting,  if  his  credit  is  established,  Quong 
Lung ;  but  I  am  at  thy  mercy,  for  my  bureau 
is  idle,  and  my  luck  in  the  lottery  and  at  fan- 
tan  hath  vanished.  My  lord  spake  but  now 
of  my  assets;  will  he  enlighten  me  as  to 
their  nature  ?" 

"  They  are  worth  not  less  than  three  thou 
sand  dollars,  and  are  immediately  available." 
135 


Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

*11'  Most  Powerful." 
of  the  on£>  ^unS  wrote  on  a  piece  of  paper 
j^      pushed  it  across  the  table  to  Ah  Foon. 

doll'"  Citing  was  m  tne  f°rm  °f  a  receipt,  and 
harnthus: 

"  Received    from  Quong  Lung  the  sum  of  Three 

^Thousand  Dollars,  being  twelve  hundred  dollars  due 

to  him  by  me  for  moneys  lent,  and  eighteen  hundred 

dollars  for   the  consideration  herewith  set  forth, — to 

wit.   .   .   ." 

And  there  the  document  ended. 

"  But  the  '  consideration/  Most  Worship 
ful  ;  what  is  it  *?"  asked  Ah  Foon. 

"Before  we  come  to  that,  I  would  first 
discuss  another  matter  which  will  make  it 
plain  to  thee  that  thou  must  sign  this  receipt 
before  thee." 

"Must,  Far  Readier  <?" 

"Ay,  must,  Ah  Foon,  or  undergo  the 
'  Civil  Death  !'  Thou  hast  betrayed  thy  long, 
and  art  already  dead  unless  thou  compliest  with 

my  demands" 

136 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

"  I  have  betrayed  my  tong  /"  exclaimed 
Ah  Foon,  in  a  tone  of  horror. 

"  Yes,  thou,"  answered  Quong  Lung,  in 
solently.  "  My  ears  that  hear  unspoken 
whispers,  and  mine  eyes  that  see  things  that 
have  never  been  done,  have  assured  me 
that  thou  hast  betrayed  thy  tong."  After 
a  brief  but  significant  pause,  he  went  on : 
"  Then,  too,  there  are  always  witnesses  at 
my  service." 

Ah  Foon  knew  this  but  too  well.  He 
knew  that  the  man  before  him  had  a  crowd 
of  witnesses  in  his  pay  whom  he  owned  body 
and  soul,  and  who  were  ready  to  commit  per 
jury  at  any  time  in  his  behalf.  ...  It  was  true, 
too,  that  his  debt  to  Quong  Lung  was  as  a 
conscience  that  kept  him  awake  in  the  night- 
watches  and  paralyzed  his  energies.  It  would 
be  something  to  get  rid  of  its  galling.  .  .  . 
And  then  that  eighteen  hundred  dollars  for 
a  "  consideration"  ;  the  money  would  enrich 
him  beyond  the  bounds  of  his  fondest  hopes  ! 
137 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

It  would  enable  him  to  leave  this  accursed 
land,  and  the  dangerous  presence  of  the  mas 
terful  tyrant,  Quong  Lung.  With  his  wife, 
Luey  See,  he  could  return  to  China,  and  they 
could  lose  themselves  in  its  teeming  millions 
till  they  reached  the  distant  Yun-nan  on  the 
banks  of  the  great  Yang-tse-Kiang,  where  it 
is  still  a  fair  stream,  and  where  his  old  father 
lived,  and  where  the  hand  of  this  Far  Reacher 
would  never  touch  him.  .  .  .  But  the  "  con 
sideration," — that  must  be  at  least  compati 
ble  with  his  honor :  his  love  for  Luey  See 
had  purified  his  heart,  and  he  would  do  noth 
ing  that  would  not  be  approved  by  her,  for 
she  was  his  other  "  Conscience  !" 

"  The  '  consideration'  I  am  to  assign  to 
thee  for  thy  eighteen  hundred  dollars,  Quong 
Lung  ?"  he  asked,  finally. 

"  Luey  See,  thy  wife." 

"  My  wife !"  angrily  shouted  Ah  Foon, 
drawing  his  revolver  and  springing  to  his 
feet. 

138 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

And  on  the  instant  he  fell  through  the 
trap-door  over  which  he  had  been  sitting. 

Before  he  regained  consciousness  in  the 
cellar  into  which  he  fell,  and  where  he  was 
held  a  prisoner,  Quong  Lung  had  disarmed 
him, — and  taken  also  his  private  seal. 


139 


Ill 


THE  MAN  ON  THE  OTHER  SIDE  OF  THE 
DOOR 

EEY  SEE  did  not  sleep  that  night,  by 
reason  of  the  absence  of  Ah  Foon. 
She  had  rocked  to  and  fro  as  she  sat  on  the 
ground  in  front  of  the  tireless  ashes  on  the 
hearth. 

"  Gods  of  my  Fathers,  where  is  Ah  Foon, 
where  is  Ah  Foon  ?"  she  moaned  through 
the  dreary  hours  of  the  night. 

The  storm  was  abroad  that  night,  and 
every  drop  of  the  sullen  rain  that  drummed 
on  her  barred  windows  sounded  to  her  like 
the  fateful  tap  of  a  demon  that  would  tell  her 
some  dread  news  of  Ah  Foon. 

Soon  after  the  clocks  of  San  Francisco  had 

tolled  the  hour  of  four  in  the  morning  the 
140 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

new  life  within  her  stirred  uneasily,  moved 
to  resentment  by  "reflex  action."  And  Luey 
See,  knowing  blindly  what  should  be  done, 
rose  from  the  hearth  and  relit  the  fire. 

"  Lie  still,  Babe  to  Come,"  she  murmured, 
as  she  blew  the  kindling  into  a  blaze.  "  As 
is  this  spark,  so  art  thou ;  and  thy  mother's 
love  will  yet  kindle  thee  into  the  blaze  called 
4  Life.' " 

After  she  had  warmed  herself  thoroughly, 
she  boiled  some  water  and  prepared  tchah 
(tea)  against  Ah  Foon's  home  coming.  "  It 
is  a  bitter  night,"  she  soliloquized ;  "  and 
my  Beautiful  Lord  will  be  wet  and  cold, 
and  nothing  reviveth  like  tchah.  Dear  Ah 
Foon,  the  Gods  guide  thy  feet  aright  to  our 
home  !" 

The  hour  of  five  was  announced  by  the 
clocks  of  San  Francisco,  and  a  faint  glimmer 
showed  through  the  dun  wrack  fleeing  over 
head  and  dropping  rain  on  the  silent  streets 

of  Chinatown. 

141 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Thou  art  not  dead,  Ah  Foon  !  Oh,  I 
feel  thou  art  not  dead,"  moaned  Luey  See, 
as  the  light  grew  stronger  in  the  east. 

She  pulled  back  the  Venetian  blinds,  and 
as  she  watched  the  light  which  showed  mo 
mentarily  in  the  rents  between  the  clouds 
the  bell  of  her  outer  door  clanged  loudly. 

"  The  Joy  of  my  Joys  hath  come !"  she 
exclaimed,  as  she  ran  to  the  window  that 
faced  Dupont  Street  and  flung  it  open. 

"  My  Life,  thou  art  come  at  last  *?"  she 
queried,  as  she  peered  into  the  dim  street 
below. 

"  It  is  I,  Quong  Lung,"  answered  a  deep 
voice  from  the  semi-darkness ;  "  and  I  have 
a  letter  for  thee  from  thy  man  Ah  Foon." 

She  could  faintly  discern  something  white 
that  the  man  in  the  street  held  above  his 
head.  It  was,  doubtless,  from  Ah  Foon  .  .  . 
he  was  not  dead,  therefore,  the  Gods  be 
praised !  .  .  .  and  he  that  brought  tidings 

from  Ah  Foon  on  a  windy,  rainy  morning 
142 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

must  be  a  friend.  Such  were  her  thoughts 
as  she  hastened  down  the  stairs. 

When  she  reached  the  front  door  that  was 
strongly  bolted  and  barred,  the  habitual  sus 
picion  of  her  race  called  a  pause,  and  she 
said,  "  The  man,  my  husband  ?  It  is  well 
with  him?" 

"It  is  well  with  him;  but  it  is  not  well 
with  thee.  The  letter  I  bring  with  me  hath 
tidings.  The  matter  is  urgent,  and  I  am  fain 
to  put  Ah  Foon's  letter  into  thy  hands.  Open 
the  door,  therefore."  Quong  Lung's  speech 
was  made  in  well-bred  tones,  and  in  the  modu 
lated  sing-song  that  is  indicative  amongst 
Chinamen  of  breeding — and  sympathy. 

"  Thy  voice  soundeth  fair,  Gentle  Sir,"  re 
plied  Luey  See,  "  but  I  am  a  lone  woman  in 
this  great  house,  and  I  may  not  admit  a 
stranger  at  this  hour.  Put,  therefore,  the 
letter  under  the  door." 

"  A  careful  and  chaste  wife  is  a  shining 
crown  to  an  honorable  man !  Here  is  thy 
143 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

letter  ;"  and  the  speaker  with  the  deep  voice 
passed  the  letter  over  the  threshold.  "  I  will 
wait  here  until  thou  hast  read  the  letter. 
Mayhap  thou  mayest  need  help, — and,  per 
chance,  I  may  be  able  to  convey  thy  reply 
to  Ah  Foon." 

"  Mayhap  thou  mayest  be  able  to  convey 
my  reply  to  Ah  Foon  !  What  dost  thou 
mean  ?  My  lord  liveth  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"And  he  is  free?" 

"Thy  letter  will  inform  thee  on  that 
point." 

"Then  he  is  not  free?" 

"No." 

"Oh,  ye  Gods  of  my  Ancestors !"  exclaimed 
Luey  See,  as  she  staggered  against  the  wall. 
"Ah  Foon,  Ah  Foon,  where  art  thou?" 

And  the  man  with  the  deep,  sympathetic 
voice  on  the  other  side  of  the  door  said,  "  He 
hath  gone — and  with  another  woman  !  .  .  . 

And  he  is  not  worthy  of  thy  love." 
144 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

After  the  frenzy  of  weeping  on  Luey  See's 
side  of  the  door  had  abated  somewhat,  the 
fatherly  voice  on  the  street  asked :  "  But  the 
letter ;  what  of  the  letter  ?" 

"  I  will  read  it  to  thee,"  was  the  reply. 
Then,  after  a  pause,  Luey  See  went  on: 
"  The  writing  hath  the  seal  of  Ah  Foon,  and 
is,  doubtless,  his.  Perchance  there  may  be 
some  comfort  in  it." 

And  this  is  what  Luey  See  read  aloud  to 
the  Man  on  the  Other  Side  of  the  Door : 

"Luey  See,  the  man  who  will  deliver  this  to  thee  is 
to  be  trusted  in  all  things,  even  as  is  thy  father.  Were 
it  not  for  the  aid  he  is  willing  to  give  thee  out  of  the 
so  well-known  goodness  of  his  heart  thou  wert  in  poor 
case,  and  would  but  receive  thy  deserts  and  just  pun 
ishment.  For  it  is  now  known  to  me  that  the  Babe  to 
Come  is  no  child  of  mine.  Farewell,  and  may  the 
Gods  remove  thy  feet  from  the  paths  of  shame  and 
dishonor." 

"  Oh,  Ah  Foon,  Ah  Foon  !  some  villain 
hath  lied  to  thee  in  this  matter.  Oh,  Babe 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

to  Come,  thy  father  is  the  dupe  of  some 
devil  from  the  pit,  or  else  he  hath  been  over 
come  by  a  sudden  madness." 

"  My  poor  child,"  said  the  deep  voice, 
interrupting  Luey  See's  sobs,  "Ah  Foon 
hath,  indeed,  been  overcome  by  a  madness, — 
the  madness  of  love  for  a  woman  other  than 
his  wife.  Oh,  the  inconstancy  of  man  !  He 
went  away  last  night  with  the  wife  of  Ah 
Lee,  who  should  have  been  sacred  to  him, 
seeing  that  Ah  Lee  belongs  to  the  same  tong. 
Worse  hath  he  done:  he  hath  shamefully 
betrayed  the  secrets  of  his  tong.  Let  us 
hope  he  may  reach  the  south  land  safely  and 
conceal  himself  successfully,  else  were  he 
subject  to " 

"  To  what,  thou  with  the  friendly  voice  ?" 
asked  Luey  See,  eagerly. 

"  Never  mind,  Little  One  ;  never  mind  :  I 
have  said  too  much." 

"  But  I  must  know,  I  must  know  !  Ah 
Foon  is  still  my  husband,  and  will  return  to 
146 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

me  when  his  madness  leaveth  him,  and  I  am 
fain  to  know  what  he  is  to  expect,  so  that  I 
may  warn  him.  Will  they  slay  him  ?" 

"  Nay,  my  poor  child.  But  see,  the  city 
waketh,  and  here  is  my  good  wife,  Suey  See, 
to  comfort  thee  in  thy  sorrow.  A  good 
woman  who  is  also  a  mother  is  like  a  rare 
unguent  to  a  burn." 

There  was  a  rattle  of  wheels,  and  a  hack 
stopped  in  front  of  the  door  whereat  Quong 
Lung  stood.  A  middle-aged  Chinese  woman 
emerged  from  the  hack  and  approached  the 
door. 

"  Speak  to  the  poor  stricken  child,  Suey 
See ;  she  is  just  within  the  door.  Tell  her 
that  she  shall  make  her  home  with  us  till  Ah 
Foon's  madness  hath  left  him.  She  shall 
have  honorable  refuge  in  my  house ;  and  no 
man  may  molest  any  one  who  crosses  my 
threshold."  And  with  these  words  Quong 
Lung  departed,  leaving  his  wife  to  plead 
with  Luey  See. 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

It  ended  in  Luey  See  getting  into  the 
hack  and  going  to  the  house  of  Quong 
Lung. 

Before  they  departed,  Luey  See  left  a 
writing  on  the  table  upstairs  for  Ah  Foon. 
"  He  will  find  it  when  his  madness  hath  left 
him,"  she  pleaded. 

That  night,  so  deftly  was  she  plied  with 
"  sympathy"  by  Suey  See,  and  so  great  was 
the  shock  produced  by  Ah  Foon's  abandon 
ment  of  her,  that  the  feeble  flame  of  the  Babe 
to  Come  was  extinguished. 

.  .  .  And  Luey  See  lost  her  reason  at  the 
same  time. 


IV 

A   COUNCIL   OF   THE   MIGHTY 

'  I  JE  seated  !"  commanded  Quong  Lung. 
••-^  The  council  was  concerned  with  the 
affairs  of  one  of  the  largest  tongs  in  San 
Francisco.  It  had  been  convened  to  deal 
with  the  recalcitrant  Ah  Foon,  who  was 
alleged  to  have  betrayed  the  affairs  of  the 
tong, — a  crime  punishable  by  death. 

"  My  brothers,"  began  the  fateful  Quong 
Lung,  "  the  affairs  of  our  countrymen  in  this 
land  have  made  it  necessary  that  they  should 
band  themselves  together  for  their  mutual 
protection  and  advancement.  Would  that 
I  could  say  that  the  Companies  that  have  thus 
come  into  existence  were  bound  together  by 
the  bonds  of  amity  and  good-will ;  but,  as 

ye  all  know,  their  jealousies  have  brought 
149 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

about  the  relentless  wars  of  the  tongs,  which 
never  cease.  It  has  become  absolutely  neces 
sary  under  such  circumstances  to  conserve 
the  interests  of  this  our  long  by  secret  signs 
and  tokens  known  only  to  the  brethren. 
Further,  it  was  settled  in  open  session,  as  ye 
know,  that  the  betrayal  of  the  secrets  of  our 
tong  should  entail  death  on  the  traitor. 

"  It  is  with  deep  sorrow,  therefore,"  he 
went  on,  "  that  I  have  to  announce  that  our 
brother,  Ah  Foon,  is  accused  of  having 
turned  traitor ;  and  we  are  here  for  the  pur 
pose  of  inquiring  into  the  matter,  and  of  ad 
justing  the  verdict  to  the  finding  of  the 
brethren  assembled.  Bring  in  the  prisoner, 
Wau  Shun." 

Two  weeks'  confinement  in  Quong  Lung's 
underground  dungeon  had  wrought  a  con 
siderable  change  in  Ah  Foon's  appearance 
and  morale.  In  the  cringing,  blinking  crea 
ture  that  entered  the  room  between  Wau 
Shun  and  Sam  Lee  one  could  scarcely  recog- 
150 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

nize  the  former  jaunty  wag  whose  saucy 
tongue  used  to  set  the  tong  into  a  roar.  A 
thin  beard  straggled  on  his  lips  and  chin,  and 
he  looked  helplessly  about  him  as  he  took 
the  seat  assigned  to  him. 

"  Quong  Lung's  tender  care  for  our 
brother,"  whispered  Lee  Yung  to  Nu  Fong, 
"  hath  greatly  spiritualized  Ah  Foon ;  he 
looks  like  one  whom  discipline — the  disci 
pline  of  Quong  Lung — had  deprived  of  his 
grosser  parts,  including  much  of  his  protect 
ing  fat." 

"  Who  accuses  our  brother  Ah  Foon  ?" 
demanded  Quong  Lung. 

"  I  do,"  answered  Lee  Yup,  rising  to  his 
feet. 

"  Proceed  in  thy  accusation,  brother,"  said 
Quong  Lung. 

"  Nay,  Thou  Strong  and  Merciful,"  inter 
rupted  Ah  Foon,  "  it  were  hardly  fair  in  a 
matter  involving  life  and  death  that  I  should 
be  brought  to  trial  of  my  brethren  while 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

Famine  still  hath  me  in  her  clutch.  Brethren, 
I  am  faint  for  want  of  food  and  drink ;  my 
inanition  is  equalled  only  by  my  innocence, 
and  when  the  body  is  feeble  the  mind  likewise 
is  lacking  in  vigor.  Our  tong  hath  ever  been 
famous  for  its  fairness  in  matters  of  this  sort." 

At  a  signal  from  Quong  Lung  food  and 
sam  shu  were  set  before  Ah  Foon,  the  while 
the  tong  observed  a  silence  in  keeping  with 
the  solemn  function  they  were  assembled  to 
observe. 

When  Ah  Foon's  wants  had  been  satis 
fied,  Lee  Yup  once  more  rose  to  his  feet. 
"  My  brothers,"  he  began,  "  I  can  add  noth 
ing  to  the  significant  utterances  of  Quong 
Lung  concerning  the  obligation  imposed 
upon  each  one  of  us  to  safeguard  the  secrets 
and  interests  of  this  our  tong.  Beset  as  we 
are  by  warring  and  hostile  tongs,  an  injury  to 
our  society  is  an  injury  to  every  member  of 
it.  But  I  will  not  waste  the  time  of  my 
brothers  in  speaking  thus  generally.  Know, 
152 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

then,  that  in  this  writing," — and  Lee  Yup 
laid  a  roll  of  paper  upon  the  table, — "  there 
is  ample  proof  that  Ah  Foon  hath  sold  the 
passwords  and  secrets  of  this  our  tong  to  one 
Ah  Kee,  of  the  Ong  Ding  Tong,  who  has  thus 
been  enabled  to  attend  many  of  our  meet 
ings.  The  late  insolence  of  the  Ong  Ding 
Tongs  is  now  easily  explained." 

"Ah  Kee,  of  the  Ong  Ding  Tong,  my 
brothers,"  remonstrated  Ah  Foon,  "is  un 
known  to  me.  The  writing  on  the  table  is 
a  forgery,  and  I  demand  its  reading,  so  that 
I  may  refute  it." 

Lee  Yup  unrolled  the  document,  and  read 
as  follows : 

"  I,  Ah  Kee,  being  a  member  in  good  standing  of 
the  Ong  Ding  Tong,  make  statement  that  by  the  as 
sistance  of  Ah  Foon,  for  a  certain  consideration,  I  have 
attended  many  meetings  of  the  tong  whereof  he  is  a 
member." 

"A  lie  giveth  edge  to  any  weapon,"  inter 
rupted  Ah  Foon.  "  Proceed." 

153 


The  Shadow  ot  Quong  Lung 

"Appended  to  the  above  writing,"  went  on 
Lee  Yup,  not  noticing  the  interruption,  "  is 
the  following  document, — and  consider  the 
artfulness  of  it ! — the  wicked  are  ever  cunning: 

"I,  Ah  Foon,  hereby  make  acknowledgment  to  one 
Ah  Kee  of  certain  papers,  for  which  he  hath  received 
an  equivalent." 

"Ye  Gods!"  exclaimed  Ah  Foon,  exult 
antly,  "  is  this  a  rehearsal  of  the  comedy  to 
be  enacted  in  the  theatre  to-night?  Lee 
Yup  is  evidently  drunk  with  the  swill  of 
which  he  hath  robbed  his  swine." 

A  month  ago  the  sarcasm  would  have 
won  applause  from  the  assembled  tong,  but 
they  now  regarded  Ah  Foon  impassively. 

"Laughter  and  Tears  are  of  the  same 
family,"  said  Quong  Lung,  sententiously. 
"  Perchance,  this  happening  hath  relation  to 
tears." 

Ah  Foon  had  long  since  seen  what  was 
coming.  He  thought  quickly,  and  immedi 
ately  delivered  a  bold  counterstroke. 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

"Brothers,"  he  began,  passionately,  "I 
have  been  trapped  and  starved  in  a  private 
dungeon  ;  I  have  been  as  a  fly  in  the  web  of 
the  Great  Spider,  Quong  Lung." 

He  knew  he  was  talking  for  his  life ;  he 
would,  therefore,  talk  boldly,  for  fear  would 
not  avail  at  such  a  time.  Whilst  he  once 
more  filled  his  cup  with  saw  shu  and  drained 
it,  the  Man  With  A  Shadow  quietly  puffed 
his  cigar,  and  gave  no  indication  of  the 
thoughts  veiled  by  his  calm  exterior.  But 
he  had  been  likened  to  a  Great  Spider,  and 
the  tong  watched  for  the  consequences  of 
such  a  bold  utterance. 

"Brothers,"  resumed  Ah  Foon,  pointing 
to  Quong  Lung  with  outstretched  hand, 
"  hath  this  man  a  lien  on  the  complacence 
of  our  tong  ?  Our  records  show  that  he  hath 
planned  and  executed  through  our  agency 
nameless  deeds  of  blood  and  horror  for  his 
own  advancement.  No  relation  of  life  is 
sacred  from  his  desecrating  hand  and  his 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

polluting  touch.  Babes  have  been  strangled 
to  remove  them  from  his  path,  and  wives 
torn  from  their  husbands  to  serve  his  foul 
purposes.  So  sure  is  he  of  his  power  and  of 
his  influence  over  the  long  that  he  doth  not 
even  waste  his  time  in  disguising  his  demands 
with  decent  excuse.  Are  we  never  to  free 
ourselves  from  the  tyranny  of  his  baneful 
4  Shadow'  ?  Are  we,  indeed,  dogs  and  swine, 
as  he  is  pleased  to  call  us  ?" 

The  long  listened  coldly,  and  Ah  Foon's 
heart  misgave  him.  He  would  make  one 
more  effort  to  rouse  the  sympathy  of  his 
brethren. 

"  See,"  he  went  on,  "  this  is  my  case,  and 
is  like  to  be  the  case  of  any  one  else  in  this 
long :  The  Gods  in  their  mercy,  considering 
the  stony  path  of  my  life,  bestowed  upon 
me  the  love  of  a  fair  woman,  my  wife 
Luey  See.  She  hath  but  late  come  from 
our  distant  land,  and  after  being  blessed  with 

the  benediction  of  her  beauty  and  enriched 
156 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

by  the  dower  of  her  caresses,  Quong  Lung 
purposeth  to  widow  me  of  such  benedic 
tion  and  dowry  for  his  own  nefarious  ends, 
and  his  dog  Lee  Yup  hath  forged  these 
documents,  so  that  I  may  fall  under  the 
displeasure  of  the  tong  and  be  removed 
judicially  from  his  path." 

"  Nevertheless,  these  writings  bear  the  im 
press  of  thy  private  seal,  Ah  Foon,"  said  Lee 
Yup,  with  a  sneer. 

"  A  shallow  device,"  retorted  Ah  Foon ; 
"  my  seal  was  stolen  from  me  whilst  I  lay  in 
prison  and  affixed  to  these  forgeries." 

"And  yet  it  is  to  be  seen  of  all  our 
brethren  that  thy  seal  still  dangles  at  thy 
waist.  Ho,  ho  !"  laughed  Lee  Yup. 

As  the  wretched  Ah  Foon  looked  down 
with  consternation  at  the  incriminating  seal, 
Nu  Fong  said,  "  There  can  be  no  doubt  in 
any  one's  mind  as  to  the  guilt  of  our  brother. 
Let  the  tong  proceed  to  pass  upon  him." 

Quong  Lung  alone  did  not  vote  in  the 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

matter.  When  the  tong  with  one  voice  had 
found  the  accused  man  guilty,  Quong  Lung 
spoke :  "  The  finding  of  the  tong  carries  the 
death  sentence  with  it,  Ah  Foon.  Never 
theless,  though  thy  life  is  forfeit,  the  tong,  in 
its  mercy,  will  exact  only  a  '  civil  death'  from 
thee.  Wau  Shun  and  Sam  Lee,  prepare  the 
prisoner  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  decree  of 
the  tong." 

They  bound  his  hands  behind  his  back 
and  forced  him  to  his  knees;  and  Quong 
Lung,  drawing  the  sword  of  execution  from 
its  sheath,  smote  him  lightly  with  the  flat  of 
it  on  the  back  of  his  neck. 

"  So  dies  a  traitor,  my  brethren,"  he  said, 
in  his  deepest  tones.  "  Remove  the  corpse 
from  the  presence  of  the  tong." 

Sam  Lee  and  Wau  Shun  raised  the  Living 
that  was  Dead,  and  carrying  him  forth  they 
laid  him  on  the  sidewalk  and  unbound  his 
hands. 


158 


V 

VOX   ET    PR^ETEREA    NIL 

'  TTOW  good  is  the  sun,  after  all,"  thought 
A  •*•  Ah  Foon,  as  he  rose  from  the  ground 
and  glanced  gratefully  up  to  the  o'erarching 
sky. 

"  So,  the  dread  ordeal  of  the  '  civil  death'  is 
over,"  he  soliloquized,  pacing  the  street  slowly. 
"  But  it  is  mere  folly  to  try  and  frighten  grown 
men  with  bogies  and  fairy  tales." 

What  a  delight  there  was  in  washing  his 
lungs  with  large  draughts  of  the  free,  pure 
air,  and  so  removing  the  pollution  of  Quong 
Lung's  underground  and  fetid  dungeon ! 
How  thankful  he  was  for  the  benediction  of 
the  gracious  space  overhead,  and  of  the  blue 
sky,  and  of  the  blessed  sun  that  warmed  him 
once  more. 

159 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

And  the  greatest  blessing  of  all :  Luey  See 
would  gladden  his  eyes  once  more  !  Poor 
little  one  !  how  she  must  have  suffered  during 
his  incarceration  of  the  past  two  weeks. 
He  could  almost  have  forgiven  all  his 
enemies  in  the  fulness  of  his  joy  and  free 
dom  as  he  turned  his  face  homewards, — 
all  save  the  lying  Lee  Yup  and  the  tyrant 
Quong  Lung. 

As  he  thus  meditated,  Wau  Shun  passed 
him,  and  in  passing  dropped  a  poster  written 
in  Chinese  in  front  of  Ah  Foon. 

"  This  is  thy  property,  Wau  Shun,"  called 
Ah  Foon,  picking  up  the  paper.  But  the 
other  sped  on  his  way  and  took  no  notice. 

The  first  thing  that  attracted  Ah  Foon's  at 
tention  as  he  glanced  at  the  poster  was  his 
own  name.  He  was  referred  to  as  "Ah 
Foon,  The  Corpse  That  Walks."  Clearly,  he 
had  been  adjudged  and  found  guilty  and  con 
demned  before  he  had  been  tried, — for  the 

papers  were  dry,  and  there  had  not  been  time 
160 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

wherein  to  set  the  type  and  strike  off  the 
copies  ;  he  had  but  just  come  from  the  scene 
of  his  trial ! 

Whilst  he  stared  in  a  bewildered  manner 
at  the  paper,  Sam  Lee  passed  him,  and  from 
his  hand,  too,  a  paper  fluttered  to  the  ground. 
Ah  Foon  picked  it  up,  and,  behold  !  it  was  a 
fac-simile  of  the  writing  that  had  been 
dropped  by  Wau  Shun.  The  fearsome  de 
scription  of  himself  sent  a  shudder  through 
him,  and  his  present  horror  prevented  for 
the  moment  any  movement  of  curiosity  as 
to  the  contents  of  the  paper. 

Presently  he  came  up  with  a  crowd  of  his 
countrymen  standing  round  a  placard  which 
Nu  Fong — who  had  established  himself  in 
the  front  circle — was  reading  aloud  for  the 
benefit  of  those  in  the  rear.  And,  as  he  read, 
Ah  Foon,  looking  at  the  paper  in  his  hand, 
saw  and  heard  that  which  concerned  him 
most  intimately.  And  this  is  what  Nu  Fong 
announced  to  the  crowd : 

ii  161 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Know  all  men,  that  in  full  session  of  the  Ok 
Gong  Tong  to-day,  Ah  Foon,  a  member  of  that  tong, 
was  tried  and  found  guilty  of  betraying  his  brethren. 
He  was  sentenced  to  civil  death  and  duly  executed  as 
provided  for  by  the  laws  of  the  various  tongs,  so  that 
he  is  dead  even  to  the  enemies  of  his  tong.  For 
a  while  he  will  appear  to  men  as  The  Corpse  That 
Walks,  and  then  he  shall  join  the  army  of  the  damned 
on  the  further  side  of  the  Great  Darkness.  Whoso 
ever  notices  The  Corpse  That  Walks,  or  offers  speech 
thereto,  is  by  way  of  becoming  a  companion  to  the 
late  Ah  Foon  of  the  Ok  Gong  Tong. 

"  BY  ORDER  OF  THOSE  WHO  ORDER." 

"  'Tis  a  righteous  sentence,  my  brothers," 
went  on  Nu  Fong,  after  he  had  finished 
reading  the  placard.  And  each  man  glanced 
significantly  at  his  neighbor.  Lee  Yung, 
who  had  seen  Ah  Foon  out  of  the  tail  of 
his  eye,  then  took  up  the  chain  of  comment : 

"  His  wife — and  she  is  most  beautiful ! — 
shall  be  cared  for  by  some  worthier  member  of 
the  tong  he  hath  betrayed.  'Tis  said  that  she 

hath  already  repudiated  him." 
162 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

"  Thou  art  a  liar,  Lee  Yung,"  shouted  Ah 
Foon.  As  he  set  his  shoulders  against  the 
crowd  in  his  effort  to  get  at  Lee  Yung,  some 
one  behind  him  felled  him  to  the  ground 
with  a  blow  on  his  head. 

When  he  came  to  himself  he  was  wet 
and  cold,  for  it  had  been  raining.  It  was  in 
Spofford  Alley  that  he  regained  consciousness. 
Something  warm  trickled  down  his  neck;  he 
wiped  it  off,  and  the  electric  light  on  Clay  Street 
showed  his  hand  to  be  covered  with  blood. 

By  the  time  he  reached  the  corner  of 
Dupont  Street  he  had  recovered  sufficiently 
to  recollect  his  place  of  abode.  He  turned 
his  face  in  that  direction  ;  when  he  came  to 
the  corner  of  Commercial  Street  the  electric 
light  showed  him  two  of  his  countrymen 
reading  the  fateful  poster  on  the  wall.  Dazed 
as  he  was,  the  wounded  man  stopped  and 
peered  at  the  writing. 

"  I  am  faint,  brothers,"  he  said ;  "  will  ye 
not  read  aloud  the  placard  for  me  ?" 
163 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"Heard  ye  the  voice,  Wan  Lee?"  asked 
one  of  the  midnight  wayfarers  who  knew 
Ah  Foon.  "  It  came  from  The  Beyond,  and 
is  the  voice,  doubtless,  of  the  Corpse  That 
Walks  ;"  and  they  went  on  their  way  talking 
in  undertones. 

The  next  corner  Ah  Foon  came  to, 
and  the  next,  and  the  next,  were  similarly 
placarded. 

Ah,  well,  if  the  world  did  repudiate  him, 
he  had  the  love  of  his  wife,  Luey  See  !  And 
then  the  tender  thought  of  the  Babe  to  Come 
filled  his  mind  with  joy,  and  he  hastened  his 
footsteps  homewards. 

When  he  reached  his  home  the  morn 
was  abroad;  and  he  was  now  sufficiently 
recovered  to  observe  that  a  spider  had  spun 
its  web  across  his  threshold. 

"Thou,  too,  wouldst  lie  to  me,"  he  ex 
claimed,  as  he  stamped  on  the  web  and 
unlocked  the  door. 

"Luey  See,  Luey  See !"  he  called  softly ; 
164 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

"  thy  husband, — and  thy  lover  ! — hath  re 
turned." 

For  answer,  he  was  greeted  by  the  scut 
tling  of  rats  across  the  floor  of  the  story 
above. 

"Babe  to  Come,"  he  said  softly;  "wilt 
thou  not  wake  thy  mother?"  Then,  as 
no  answer  came,  he  went  on :  "  Sweet  wife, 
thou  canst  hear  thy  man  late  loosed  from  a 
dungeon  of  hell  ?" 

When  no  response  came  to  his  tender  and 
passionate  inquiry,  he  lit  the  light  in  the 
passage,  and  climbed  up  the  stairs  to  his 
dwelling-rooms.  Throwing  up  the  shutters, 
the  growing  light  showed  that  the  rooms  had 
been  untenanted  for  a  considerable  time, — 
and  the  dust  lay  thick  upon  all  things. 


165 


VI 

THE   MAN   WITHOUT  A   SHADOW 

A  GREAT  fear  fell  upon  Ah  Foon  as  he 
staggered  to  the  table  and  opened  the 
letter  that  Luey  See  had  left  for  him.     It 
ran  thus: 

"  Ah  Foon,  my  dear  Lord,  in  accordance  with  thy 
instructions  I  am  going  to  the  house  of  thy  so  great 
friend,  Quong  Lung.  His  wife  Suey  See  is  second 
mother  to  me.  Since  I  laid  my  head  on  my  mother's 
breast  never  received  I  such  tenderness  as  she  showed 
me  to-day.  Heaven  reward  her  ! 

"  It  is  said  that  thou  hast  abandoned  me  for  love  of 
the  wife  of  Ah  Lee,  and  art  gone  into  the  south  land 
with  her.  If  thou  hast  done  so,  it  is  proof  of  thy 
madness,  my  fair  Lord. 

"  May  the  Gods  restore  thee  to  thy  reason, — and 
to  my  love,  my  husband !" 

166 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

"  Ah  !  Luey  See,  Luey  See  !"  moaned  Ah 
Foon,  after  he  had  read  the  letter,  "  thou  art 
indeed  fallen  into  an  evil  case.  And  thou, 
my  '  so  great  friend'  Quong  Lung,  for  five 
minutes'  grip  of  thy  throat  I  would  sell  my 
soul  to  the  Devil,  thou  demon  and  cruel ! 
And  the  '  tenderness'  of  Suey  See ! — Ye 
Gods  that  ordain  things,  protect  my  dear  one 
from  the  '  tenderness'  of  Suey  See.  Oh ! 
with  what  a  lie  have  they  taken  my  beloved 
from  me.  And  to  what  shame  they  have, 
doubtless,  subjected  her  !"  He  clenched  his 
hands  and  went  on  :  "  Oh !  ye  Demons  in 
Hell,  the  High  Gods  are  useless  and  cruel  to 
permit  such  things  as  have  befallen  me  ;  see, 
I  repudiate  them,  and  am  henceforth  your 
slave."  He  walked  to  the  household  shrine 
and  swept  it  to  the  floor ;  and  then  proceeded 
to  stamp  and  spit  upon  it. 

There  was  but  one  thing  for  him  to  do  now, 
— and  he  needed  all  his  strength  for  the  deed. 
But  he  was  sore  bestead  with  hunger,  and 
167 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

faint  from  loss  of  blood.  A  search  of  the 
cupboard  where  Luey  See  used  to  keep  their 
food  was  rewarded  with  the  discovery  of  a 
loaf  of  bread  that  had  been  nibbled  at  by 
the  rats.  He  soaked  what  was  left  of  it  in  a 
bowl  of  water,  and  after  he  had  eaten  he 
sharpened  a  knife  that  he  found  in  the  cup 
board,  and,  concealing  it  in  his  sleeve,  he  de 
scended  the  stairs  and  sallied  forth  into  the 
dim  street  below. 

He  kept  close  to  the  walls  of  the  houses 
as  he  proceeded, — for  his  head  was  light  from 
loss  of  blood  and  the  inanition  and  confine 
ment  attending  his  recent  imprisonment. 

As  he  turned  into  Jackson  Street,  where 
was  Quong  Lung's  abode,  he  saw  a  country 
man  of  his  on  the  other  side  of  the  street 
turning  over  the  muck-heaps  in  search  of 
refuse  such  as  even  the  dogs  of  Chinatown 
had  passed  by.  Here  at  last  was  a  creature 
who  was  in  worse  case  than  himself! — and 
who  would  not  refuse  to  speak  to  him ! 

1 68 


A  Civil  Death  in  Chinatown 

Ah  Foon  crossed  the  street,  and  addressed 
the  scavenger :  "  Thine  is  a  hard  life,  brother. 
Would  I  had  the  means  to  bestow  a  decent 
meal  upon  thee."  The  man  with  the  rake 
looked  up  and  down  the  street,  and  seeing  no 
one  in  sight  he  stretched  out  a  fingerless 
hand  towards  Ah  Foon,  and  Ah  Foon  saw 
that  it  was  the  hand  of  a  leper ! 

"  Dog !"  exclaimed  the  scavenger ;  "  what 
I  am  thou  seest ;  but  I  would  rather  have  a 
leprosy  of  the  body  than  a  leprosy  of  the 
mind !"  And  he  struck  Ah  Foon  savagely 
over  the  head  with  his  rake. 

The  blow  reopened  Ah  Foon's  raw  wound, 
and,  with  a  hand  on  his  knife,  he  staggered 
off  feebly  in  the  direction  of  Quong  Lung's 
house,  keeping  the  middle  of  the  street  and 
taking  the  rain  that  was  now  falling  in  sheets. 

When  he  reached  Quong  Lung's  abode 

the  flutter  of  a  white  garment  at  an  upper 

storey  window  that  was  barred  caught  his 

eye.     Looking  up,  he  saw  Luey  See  his  wife. 

169 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"Beloved!  it  is  I,  Ah  Foon,"  he  said. 
"  Thank  the  Gods  I  have  found  thee  !" 

"  Thou  art  a  liar, — or  a  ghost !"  she 
answered,  regarding  him  with  the  indifferent 
eyes  of  a  mad  woman ;  "  thou  hast  not 
even  a  shadow !" 

At  this  fateful  pronouncement,  Ah  Foon, 
The  Corpse  That  Walked,  fell  prone  on  his 
face,  and  did  not  move. 

At  the  Morgue,  the  Coroner  of  San 
Francisco  labelled  Ah  Foon's  corpse  as  fol 
lows  :  "  No.  829.  An  unknown  Chinaman. 
Unclaimed." 


170 


PART   IV 

¥ 

The  things  of  Lee  Toy 


171 


THE  JUSTICE   AND    BENEVOLENCE   OF 
QUONG   LUNG 

IN  Buncombe  Alley,  the  tortuous  little 
covered  cul-de-sac  which  runs  off  Jack 
son  Street,  a  Chinaman  reclined  against  a 
bundle  which  represented  his  entire  pos 
sessions.  He  was  fast  asleep.  The  dim 
light  which  straggled  into  the  alley  from 
the  distant  street-lamp  was  hardly  sufficient 
to  enable  the  wayfarer  to  avoid  the  filth 
that  littered  the  pavement, — for  the  sub-alley 
was  used  for  foul  purposes  by  a  foul  people 
when  the  night  fell. 

The  man  who  had  chosen  this  reeking 

spot  for  his  night's  lodging  was  of  the  better 

class,  as  the  red  mow-yung  (top-knot)  in  his 

hat  showed.     He  was  young,  too,  and  hand- 

173 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

some,  and  there  could  be  no  gainsaying  his 
recklessness  and  courage  :  a  man  who  would 
choose  such  a  spot  for  a  night's  lodging 
must,  indeed,  be  reckless  and  brave. 

So  thought  Quong  Lung  as  he  regarded 
the  sleeper.  "  The  man  who  would  sleep 
here  hath  not  much  to  lose,"  he  soliloquized. 
"  Sam  Lee  and  Wau  Shun,  my  hatchets  and 
knives,  are  getting  blunt ;  and,  besides,  they 
are  mere  coolies,  and  witless.  But  here  is  a 
weapon  I  would  heft." 

Laying  a  hand  on  the  sleeper's  shoulder, 
he  shook  him  gently.  "  It  is  not  meet,"  he 
began,  not  noticing  the  ready  revolver  which 
the  young  man  drew  from  his  blouse  as  he 
sprang  to  his  feet.  "  It  is  not  meet  that  a 
sing-song  should  sleep  like  an  outcast  dog. 
I  have  heard  of  thee,  and  would  have  thee 
for  a  guest  to-night.  I  am  Quong  Lung. 
Come  with  me,  young  brother.  Thy  bag 
gage  will  be  looked  after  by  my  fellows." 

"And  I   am   Lee  Toy,"  said   the  other, 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

clasping  his  hands  together,  and  saluting  the 
portly  merchant  after  the  seemly  fashion  of 
the  Chinaman. 

So  this  affable,  well-bred  sing-song,  who 
could  recognize  a  brother  sing-song  even  in 
a  dark  and  shameful  sub-alley,  was  Quong 
Lung !  "  He  hath  been  much  maligned," 
thought  Lee  Toy. 

As  they  stepped  into  Jackson  Street  to 
gether,  Sam  Lee  and  Wau  Shun,  who  were 
Quong  Lung's  trusted  body-guard,  picked 
up  Lee  Toy's  belongings,  and  followed  their 
master  at  a  respectful  distance. 

"  Now  the  Gods  be  praised  for  this  finding 
of  the  young  sing-song!"  exclaimed  Wau  Shun. 

"  Wherefore  ?"  asked  Sam  Lee. 

"  If  thou  hadst  two  eyes,  Blindworm, 
thy  question  had  not  been  asked,"  was  the 
insolent  answer. 

"  Two  eyes  that  look  in  different  direc 
tions,  my  courteous  friend,  are  a  frequent 
source  of  headache." 

175 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Thou  art  the  wonder  of  the  day,  Sam 
Lee :  thou  hast  but  one  eye,  and  that  is 
afflicted  with  a  squint !  But,  see,  I  will  take 
pity  on  thy  half-sight,  and  point  out  the  ad 
vantage  to  thee  and  to  me  of  the  finding  of 
Lee  Toy.  Quong  Lung  hath  been  much  put 
to  it  of  late  to  maintain  his  kingship  in  China 
town,  as  thou  knowest,  by  reason  of  the  new 
police-officer,  Captain  Loomis,  who  looketh 
after  the  affairs  of  this  district.  They  say  his 
eyes  cannot  be  diverted  from  his  duties  by 
the  glitter  of  gold,  and  his  hatchet  hath  no 
respect  for  the  shrines  of  our  Gods.  Why, 
it  is  getting  so  that  a  gentleman  may  not 
even  see  to  the  removal  of  an  enemy  !  It  is 
an  insupportable  tyranny,  and  galls  Quong 
Lung,  who  meditates  a  bold  counter-stroke. 
He  is  fain  to  throw  his  shadow  across  the 
path  of  the  bold  young  White  Devil,  and  he 
would  make  me  a  tool  in  the  matter." 

"Thou  must  serve  him,  of  course,  Wau 
Shun." 

176 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

"  Serve  him  in  the  matter  he  proposes  ? 
Dost  know  the  police-officer  I  speak  of  ?" 

"Nay;  but  there  are  few  things  more 
dangerous  than  refusing  service  to  Quong 
Lung,  especially  when  he  hath  you  in 
pawn." 

"  Thou  art  in  pawn,  too,  Sam  Lee.!' 

"But  not  for  a  killing;"  and  Sam  Lee 
chuckled  softly. 

"  Thy  blood  is  white,  Sam  Lee,"  retorted 
the  other.  "  It  takes  a  man  to  do  a  killing, 
whereas  even  a  child  may  steal." 

According  to  the  code  of  the  highbinder, 
Wau  Shun  had  attained  to  high  rank  as 
compared  with  Sam  Lee,  who  acknowledged 
his  inferiority  by  maintaining  a  discreet 
silence. 

Nothing  was  said  for  a  minute  or  two, 
when  Sam  Lee  drew  a  cigar  from  his  pocket 
and  handed  it  to  Wau  Shun.  "  What  man 
ner  of  man,  my  brother,  is  this  police-officer 
you  speak  of?"  he  asked. 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  He  is  but  a  small  man,"  replied  Wau 
Shun,  biting  off  the  end  of  his  cigar,  "  but 
strong  withal ;  and  what  he  lacks  in  height 
he  makes  up  in  swiftness,  so  that  no  man 
may  abide  the  flash  of  his  onset.  His  eyes 
are  of  the  blue  of  steel,  and  he  seeth  and 
knoweth  all  things  that  happen  in  Chinatown ; 
wherefore  he  is  obnoxious  to  Quong  Lung, 
whose  plans  he  hath  already  thwarted  more 
than  once.  Further,  he  put  Quong  Lung  to 
open  shame  last  week  whilst  you  were  away 
at  San  Jose."  He  ceased  a  moment  to  light 
his  cigar,  and  between  puffs  went  on  with  his 
narrative. 

"  This  was  the  way  of  it :  Quong  Lung, 
with  a  cigar  in  his  mouth,  was  making  his 
daily  progress  through  the  streets,  by  way  of 
flouting  the  opposing  tongs.  In  reply  to  the 
jeers  of  certain  men  of  the  Ong  Ding  Tong 
who  were  on  the  other  side  of  the  street, 
Quong  Lung  spat  on  the  sidewalk,  thereby  in 
fringing  an  ordinance  of  the  city.  The  little 
178 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

man  of  the  law  standing  in  a  doorway  hard 
by  saw  the  act,  and  stepping  up  to  Quong 
Lung  he  took  the  cigar  from  his  lips  and 
threw  it  into  the  street,  and  before  Quong 
Lung  could  say  aught,  the  silk  handkerchief 
he  carried  in  his  hand  was  snatched  from 
him  and  thrown  on  to  the  spot  he  had  pol 
luted,  and  the  small  man  then  cleansed  the 
pavement  with  a  movement  of  his  foot." 

"  Ho,  ho,  ho  !"  laughed  Sam  Lee.  "  This 
is  as  a  choice  ointment.  Proceed  in  thy 
telling." 

"  To  add  to  the  sting  of  the  insult,  there 
came  a  chorus  of  mocking  laughter  from 
the  other  side  of  the  street ;  but  their  merri 
ment  cost  them  a  life  the  following  day " 

"  Wast  thou  the  artist  *?"  interrupted  Sam 
Lee. 

"  Ask  no  questions,  brother.  The  dead 
man,  Ah  Goon,  was  a  vain  fellow  and  a  fool, 
who  wore  red  trousers,  and  drank  American 

whiskey, — and  died   therefore   of  a  broken 
179 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

neck.  Tis  ill  to  roll  down  a  flight  of 
steps." 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha  !"  laughed  Sam  Lee ;  "  have 
another  cigar." 

"  But  to  proceed  with  the  discomfiture  of 
Quong  Lung,"  went  on  Wau  Shun :  u  He 
paused  with  that  dignity  for  which  he  is 
famous,  and  said :  '  I  am  Quong  Lung, 
merchant  of  Jackson  Street,  and ' 

" '  Oh,  I  know  who  you  are,'  interrupted 
the  small  man  ;  '  and  the  next  time  you 
spit  on  the  street  I'll  wipe  up  the  mess 
with  your  flat  nose;'  and  this  was  said  in 
the  vernacular  of  Canton,  where  the  man 
of  authority  had  been  reared." 

"Wau  Shun,  thy  zest  showeth  that  thou 
dost  not  love  Quong  Lung.  Come  in  here, 
my  Brother  in  Bondage,  and  let  us  drink 
to  the  confusion  of  the  tyrant  whose  yoke 
galls  us." 

After  they  had  drunk  a  "  Hot-Scotch" — 
(there  are  a  few  things  pertaining  to  the 

l8p 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

White  Devils  that  our  Yellow  Brothers  are 
not  averse  to  using), — Sam  Lee  asked, 
"  And  what  said  Quong  Lung  to  the  police- 
officer  who  had  flouted  him  ?" 

"  It  was  great  to  see  and  hear  Quong 
Lung !  He  never  showed  that  he  felt  the 
insult  put  upon  him.  Drawing  a  gold  piece 
from  his  purse,  he  thus  addressed  the  man  of 
authority :  '  Thou  wast  right  in  what  thou 
didst.  If  Quong  Lung  offended  against  the 
ordinances  of  this  city  it  is  but  right  that 
the  law  should  be  vindicated,  and  he  here 
with  inflicts  on  himself  the  penalty  required 
by  the  law  in  such  cases.  Bestow  this,  thou 
Worthy  Officer,  where  it  belongs,  and  know 
that  no  one  is  a  stouter  upholder  of  the  law 
than  Quong  Lung,  as  is  well  known  to  all 
men  in  Chinatown/ 

"  Then,  because  the  officer  refused  the 
money  and  turned  on  his  heel,  Quong  Lung 
handed  the  coin  to  the  needy  vendor  of 
ping-long  whose  stall  was  thereby,  saying, 

181 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

'  And  be  it  known,  too,  that  Quong  Lung 
hath  a  ready  hand  and  an  open  purse  for  his 
poorer  brethren,  and  that  Charity  attendeth 
on  him,  like  a  beneficent  shadow  that  blesses 
all  on  whom  it  falls.'  " 

"  The  Gods  forbid  that  his  '  charity'  should 
fall  on  me !"  exclaimed  Sam  Lee.  "  And 
what  was  the  outcome  of  the  meeting,  Wau 
Shun  ?" 

"  I  had  to  make  inquiry  concerning  the 
domestic  ties  of  the  police-officer  ;  and  from 
Ah  Woon,  who  works  in  his  house,  I  learnt 
that  he  hath  a  wife  and  a  small  son,  four 
years  in  age,  who  is  the  pride  of  his  father's 
eye.  '  My  shadow  hath  fallen  on  the  Spawn 
of  the  White  Devil,  Wau  Shun  !'  said  Quong 
Lung,  when  I  reported  these  matters  to  him. 
4  Abduct  him  !  A  cage  awaiteth  him.' ' 

"  Hast  thou  angered  him  that  he  should 
put  such  dangerous  service  on  thee,  Wau 
Shun?" 

"No  one  would  willingly  affront  Quong 
182 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

Lung.  But  I  asked  that  you  should  be 
associated  with  me  in  this  quest." 

"  I !"  exclaimed  Sam  Lee,  with  evident 
consternation.  "But  this  may  involve 
bloodshed,  and  a  killing, — and  my  hands  are 
not  yet  stained  with  blood." 

"  Therefore  did  he  order  it,  so  as  to  kindle 
the  flame  of  thy  courage,  the  fire  of  which 
smoulders,  Sam  Lee.  Ho,  ho,  ho  !" 

"  Thou  hast  done  me  much  wrong,  Wau 
Shun  ;  much  wrong  !  'Twere  easier  to  con 
fess  my  shortcomings  to  the  officers  of  the 
law  and  take  my  punishment  than  to  put 
my  head  into  the  White  Man's  noose." 

"  But  thy  head  is  in  a  noose  already,  my 
white-livered  friend:  Quong  Lung  hath  it 
that  thou  wast  concerned  in  the  taking  off 
of  Ah  Goon, — he  of  the  broken  neck, — 
and  Quong  Lung  was  never  known  to  be 
mistaken  in  putting  his  hand  on  the  right 
man.  What  sayest  thou  ?" 

"Quong  Lung  is  the  father  of  lies  and 
183 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

mischief,  and  I  will  till  his  bowels  with  my 
knife  ere  I  will  do  this  deed,"  said  Sam  Lee 
with  considerable  heat. 

"  Knowing  that  thou  wouldst  be  averse  to 
the  adventure,  I  thanked  the  Gods  when  we 
left  Buncombe  Alley  for  the  finding  of  Lee 
Toy." 

"Wherefore?" 

"  In  that  he  is  broken  in  fortune,  having 
spent  his  money  like  a  young  Blood  about 
Town.  He  hath  fallen  from  affluence  to 
the  lodgings  where  we  found  him  to-night. 
When  I  told  Quong  Lung  concerning  Lee 
Toy,  I  added  that  he  was  of  fine  temper  and 
would  take  a  fine  edge  as  a  hatchet  of  our 
tongr 

"  Thou  wast  ever  a  man  of  resource,  Wau 
Shun ;  and  thy  foresight  deserveth  another 
drink  in  this  Abode  of  Thirst." 


184 


II 

AS    BETWEEN    GENTLEMEN 

OUONG  LUNG'S  abode  on  Jackson 
Street  belied  its  dingy  exterior,  for  it 
was  fitted  up  with  "  modern  appliances,"  as 
the  auctioneers  say.  The  room  that  had 
been  assigned  to  Lee  Toy  had  a  porcelain 
bath  in  it,  with  hot  and  cold  water. 

With  his  own  hand  Quong  Lung  had 
turned  on  and  tempered  the  water.  He 
added  a  generous  dash  of  Eau  de  Cologne 
as  Lee  Toy  entered  the  bath. 

"  Take  thy  time,  Young  Brother,"  he  said 
as  he  drew  the  curtains  that  surrounded  the 
bath.  "  And  when  thou  art  ready  press  this 
button,  and  my  rubber,  Quen  Foy,  shall 

attend  to  thee." 

185 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

How  fresh  and  fragrant  was  everything 
about  him !  was  Lee  Toy's  thought,  as  he 
dismissed  Quen  Foy.  He  had,  indeed,  rid 
himself  of  the  pollution  of  Buncombe  Alley. 
The  clothes  that  lay  to  his  hand  were  new, 
— his  own  had  been  removed.  The  new 
hat  that  awaited  him  had  a  handsome  pearl 
in  its  mow-yung,  and  he  could  hear  the 
throbbing  of  a  distant  sam-yen. 

As  he  tossed  off  the  cup  of  sam  shu  that 
had  been  provided  as  a  final  fillip  to  his 
senses,  he  walked  the  floor  with  a  feeling  of 
restored  self-respect. 

"  I  am  yet  a  sing-song"  he  said,  exult 
antly.  He  was,  indeed,  a  gentleman :  he 
had  insisted  on  paying  away  nearly  all  he 
possessed  in  a  matter  in  which  his  late 
partner  had  also  been  involved,  although 
he  knew  he  had  been  egregiously  swindled. 

In  the  midst  of  his  pleasant  meditations 
the  door  of  the  room  opened,  and  Quong 
Lung  entered. 

186 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

"  Come,  my  young  brother,"  said  the 
latter,  taking  Lee  Toy's  hand  ;  "  come  ;  the 
evening  meal  awaits  us.  Thy  bath  ?" 

"  JTwas  a  foretaste  of  the  heaven  beyond 
the  Great  Darkness.  .  .  .  But  these  clothes — 
and  the  pearl  in  my  mow-yung — and  the 
money  in  my  pocket — how  shall  I  thank 
thee  for  them,  Quong  Lung*?" 

"By  using  them,  my  excellent  young 
friend." 

They  entered  an  apartment  which  was 
divided  in  two  by  a  beautifully  carved  and 
gilded  wooden  screen,  on  which  was  por 
trayed  an  episode  in  the  life  of  the  God, 
Pwan  Ku.  In  the  further  compartment  the 
incandescent  lights  were  dimmed  by  the 
smoke  of  many  burning  punk-sticks.  The 
table  in  the  centre  of  the  room  was  set  for 
two,  after  the  fashion  of  the  white  man ;  and 
on  a  dais  at  the  end  of  the  room  Ah  Moy 
and  Suey  Sen — damsels  much  in  demand  by 
reason  of  their  accomplishments — twanged 
187 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

their  sam-yens  and  sang  songs  famous  in  the 
Flowery  Land. 

The  dinner  was  served  by  a  soft-footed 
Chinaman,  and  consisted  of  dishes  well 
known  in  the  cuisines  of  America  and 
China.  Lee  Toy  ate  and  drank  whatever 
was  set  before  him  with  the  nil  admirari  of  a 
man  of  breeding. 

After  the  meal  was  over  and  the  girls  had 
been  dismissed,  Lee  Toy  spoke : 

"  I  would  know,  Quong  Lung,  to  what  I 
owe  thy  munificence  towards  me." 

The  young  man's  eyes  met  the  great  mer 
chant's  frankly,  and  Quong  Lung  knew  men 
too  well  to  beat  about  the  bush  with  a  man 
of  this  sort. 

"  Thou  dost  interest  me,  Lee  Toy,  to 
begin  with.  I  have  heard  something  about 
thee,  and  would  know  more.  It  may  be  that 
I  can  put  thee  in  the  way  of  redeeming  thy 
fortunes.  See,  I  would  associate  thee  with 
me  in  the  great  game  I  play,  in  which  men 

188 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

are  the  pieces.  Whatever  thou  mayest  have 
heard, — and  I  have  many  enemies  pledged  to 
distort  the  truth  concerning  me, — my  affairs 
require  the  maintenance  of  law  and  order — 
my  law  and  order — in  Chinatown.  My  in 
terests  here  are  so  varied  and  great  that  they 
can  be  advanced  only  by  the  maintenance  of 
law  and  order — my  law  and  order — in  the 
way  that  seems  best  to  me.  Unfortunately, 
my  subordinates  have  so  far  been  coolies, — 
men  of  the  lower  orders,  with  brute  instincts, 
and  witless ;  but  were  my  lieutenants  sing 
songs^  men  of  breeding  and  education  like 
thyself,  I  should  not  come  into  conflict  with 
the  representatives  of  the  laws  of  this  coun 
try.  Whence  comest  thou,  and  wherefore 
art  thou  here  ?  Do  not  answer  if  the  ques 
tion  appear  to  thee  to  be  unfair." 

"There   is   nothing    to    conceal,   Quong 

Lung :  I  am  an  actor  and  conjurer,  and  I  am 

but  three  days  from  Los  Angeles,  whence 

my  partner  decamped,  leaving  me  to  settle 

189 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

with  the  poorer  brethren  who  played  with  us. 
He  hath  forestalled  me  with  the  brethren  of 
our  craft  here,  hence  the  roughness  of  the 
lodging  where  you  found  me  this  night. 
You  see,  some  of  the  poor  players  had  wives 
and  children,  and  I  cannot  abide  the  wail  of 
a  hungry  child;  and  so  I  did  what  you 
would  have  done,  and  came  here,  therefore, 
with  an  empty  purse." 

"But  the  lane  where  I  found  thee  this 
night  is  a  Lane  of  Death." 

"  So  they  said,  and  therefore  I  sought  it, — 
for  I  have  nothing  to  lose ;"  and  Lee  Toy 
smiled  most  ingenuously. 

"Thy  life4?" 

"  But  who  should  kill  me  ?  I  have  no 
enemies  here  who  desire  my  death." 

"  An  excellent  reason  for  thy  killing,  Lee 
Toy,  because  of  the  conditions  of  the  wars 
between  the  various  tongs.  See,  it  came  to 
my  notice  to-night  through  my  henchman, 

Wau  Shun,  that  one  of  the  hatchet-men  of 
190 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

the  Ong  Ding  Tong  was  to  slay  thee  to 
night;  and  witnesses  were  prepared  to  say 
that  Wau  Shun  was  thy  slayer,  so  as  to  im 
plicate  me  in  a  deed  of  hell.  The  plot  was 
known  to,  and  fostered  by  Captain  Loomis 
of  the  police  force  of  this  district,  who  is 
jealous  of  my  influence  for  the  maintenance 
of  peace  and  order  in  Chinatown.  Behold 
the  proof  of  it,"  and  Quong  Lung  put  a 
paper  into  Lee  Toy's  hands. 

"  Herein  I  discern,  too,  the  hand  of  my 
late  astute  partner  and  fellow-actor,  Ah 
Sam,"  said  Lee  Toy  seriously,  returning  the 
paper  to  Quong  Lung. 

After  he  had  flicked  off  the  ash  from  his 
cigar  and  considered  the  end  of  it  attentively 
a  while,  Lee  Toy  said,  "  And  thou  dost  intend 
a  counter-stroke  *? — and  through  me  ?" 

"  Precisely,  brother.     See  what  it  is  to  be 
a  man  of  education  with  swift  intuitions  ! 
My  coolies,  Wau  Shun  and  Sam  Lee,  would 
not  have  guessed  my  purpose  in  a  month." 
191 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  And  on  whom  would  thy  stroke  fall  *?" 

"  Captain  Loomis." 

"  Ah  !  precisely.  But  it  must  not  involve 
blood." 

"  Of  course  not,  of  course  not,  Lee  Toy : 
a  man  of  breeding  may  not  imbrue  his  hands 
in  blood.  Pah !" 

"  What  wouldst  thou,  Quong  Lung  ?" 

"  See,  Lee  Toy,"  returned  the  other,  care 
lessly,  "  there  is  that  in  thy  countenance  and  air 
that  begetteth  confidence.  I  will  not  subject 
thee  to  the  mummery  of  the  oaths  that  are  ad 
ministered  to  our  hatchet-men.  I  will  put  my 
life  in  thy  hands,"  finished  Quong  Lung,  with 
an  air  of  entire  frankness,  as  he  replenished  the 
glasses  on  the  table.  "  I  shall  not  ask  thee,"  he 
went  on,  "  to  do  that  which  is  cruel.  I  shall 
but  ask  thee  to  find  a  bird  for  my  cage.  The 
care  of  the  bird  shall  be  thy  special  task,  and  its 
restoration  to  liberty  shall  greatly  enhance  thy 
fortune.  To-morrow  thou  shalt  see  the  cage 
ere  I  propound  the  liming  of  the  bird  to  thee." 
193 


Ill 

THE  MUCH  MALIGNED  QUONG  LUNG 

the  Gods!"  exclaimed  Lee  Yung, 
the  young  "  man  about  town,"  to  his 
pampered  friend,  Nu  Fong  ;  "  by  the  Gods  ! 
Lee  Toy  hath  risen  from  the  forgotten,  and 
his  garments  are  as  gorgeous  as  a  morning 
sky.  See  where  he  comes." 

They  stopped  and  stared  as  Lee  Toy 
walked  down  Dupont  Street  with  the  poise 
and  dignity  that  belong  to  affluence  and 
good-breeding.  Recognizing  his  quondam 
friends  across  the  street,  he  gave  them  an 
easy  greeting  and  would  have  passed  on ; 
but  they  would  not  be  denied,  and  crossed 
over  to  him. 

"  The  brightness  of  the  morning  hath  an 
added  lustre  from  thy  shining  countenance, 
13  193 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

Lee  Toy,"  said  Lee  Yung.  "  The  sun  of 
thy  fortune  hath  evidently  newly  risen." 

"  I  have  won  the  favor  of  the  Gods,  Lee 
Yung." 

"  But  they  always  require  service  of  the 
favored,"  cut  in  Nu  Fong ;  "  service  appor 
tioned  to  the  favors  they  bestow." 

"  Very  justly,"  returned  Lee  Toy. 

"And  thou  hast  evidently  accomplished 
thy  service,  for  in  the  splendor  of  thy  crim 
son  silken  nether-garments  we  recognize  one 
effect  of  thy  reward." 

"Now,  nay,  Nu  Fong:  these  are  but  a 
foretaste  of  my  awards  and  of  the  greatness 
that  awaits  me  for  the  things  that  I  shall  do ;" 
and  Lee  Toy  smiled. 

"  The  Gods  do  not  often  anticipate  good 
deeds  with  awards.  But  who  may  be  their 
emissary  in  this  matter?" 

"  The  much  maligned  Quong  Lung,  whose 
beneficence  is  equalled  only  by  his  sense  of 

justice." 

194 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

"  The  *  beneficence'  of  Quong  Lung !" 
laughed  Lee  Yung.  "  Tis  easily  seen  that 
thou  hast  but  late  come  to  San  Francisco. 
I  would  sooner  suffer  a  fever  than  fall  under 
the  shadow  of  the  '  beneficence'  of  Quong 
Lung." 

"  And  his  '  sense  of  justice,' "  said  Nu 
Fong,  with  a  sneer,  "  is  tempered  by  many 
unexpected  happenings." 

Then,  noticing  signs  of  resentment  in 
Lee  Toy's  face,  the  friends  recrossed  the 
street,  their  scurrilous  laughter  increasing 
his  irritation. 

When  Lee  Toy  had  reached  Jackson 
Street  he  turned  to  the  right,  and  soon  ar 
rived  at  the  store  of  his  newly-found  friend, 
Quong  Lung. 

"  Thou  art  in  luck  this  morning,  Lee 
Toy,"  was  Quong  Lung's  greeting  to  the 
young  actor.  Then,  in  answer  to  Lee  Toy's 
inquiring  looks,  he  went  on :  "  Thy  dis 
honest  partner,  Ah  Sam,  was  found  dead  in 
195 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

his  lodging  this  morning ;  and  his  landlord, 
who  is  one  of  my  tenants,  discovered  this 
well-filled  purse  in  it,  and  a  writing  therein 
showing  it  was  plainly  stolen  from  thee." 

Lee  Toy  hesitated  for  a  moment  as  he 
thought  of  the  late  saying  of  Nu  Fong. 
But  Quong  Lung's  countenance  expressed 
much  benevolence  as  he  held  out  the  purse 
to  Lee  Toy. 

"  And  now  I  may  repay  thee  a  portion  of 
what  I  owe  thee,  Quong  Lung,"  said  Lee 
Toy,  opening  the  purse. 

"  Thou  shalt  pay  me  in  gentle  service, 
young  brother:  money  goeth  not  between 
us.  Come  now,  and  see  my  cage." 

He  took  Lee  Toy  by  the  hand,  and  led 
him  through  many  a  tortuous  passage  and 
devious  bye-way  till  they  came  out  on  the 
roof  of  a  building  that  was  leased  by  a 
Chinese  "  Literary  Society  for  the  Study  of 
English," — a  euphuistic  description  for  the 

most    ferocious    tong    in    Chinatown.     The 
196 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

leaders  of  this  "  highbindery"  had  even  sig 
nified  their  "literary"  intentions  to  one  of 
the  many  Christian  missions  interested  in  the 
moral  welfare  of  Chinatown ;  and  when 
Quong  Lung  and  Lee  Toy  reached  their 
destination,  a  lady  in  the  room  below,  to  an 
organ  accompaniment,  was  singing  "  The 
Voice  that  Breathed  o'er  Eden,"  to  the  en 
tire  amusement  of  the  assembled  cut-throats, 
who  smiled  blandly  whilst  they  swore  un 
translatable  oaths. 

The  roof  was  higher  than  any  building  in 
sight,  and  could  not,  therefore,  be  overlooked 
by  any  of  them.  It  was  surrounded,  more 
over,  by  a  walled  parapet  about  four  feet  in 
height.  At  one  end  was  a  tiny  house  of  two 
rooms,  one  furnished  as  a  sleeping-room,  and 
the  other  with  a  dais  on  which  were  a  couple 
of  smoking  mats  and  the  implements  for 
"  black  smoke." 

The  other  end  of  the  roof  was  furnished 

with  pot-plants  and  carpetted  with  soft  mat- 
197 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

ting,  and  a  gayly  striped  awning  made  a 
charming  retreat  of  it,  the  cosiness  of  which 
was  enhanced  by  the  contrast  presented  by 
the  roaring  traffic  of  the  street  below. 

"What  think  you  of  my  cage?"  asked 
Quong  Lung,  after  he  had  shown  Lee  Toy 
round  and  seated  him  on  one  of  the  smoking 
mats. 

"  'Tis  fit  for  a  royal  bird,"  replied  Lee 
Toy,  answering  Quong  Lung  in  his  own 
humor. 

"Or  for  dalliance  with  sweet  thoughts. 
Here  do  I  often  meditate  beneath  the  stars, 
alone  with  my  fancy ;  here  do  I  plan  that 
order — my  order — shall  flow  from  the  dis 
orders  of  the  warring  tongs.  Ah,  my  young 
brother,  the  people — whose  welfare  alone  I 
have  at  heart — little  know  of  my  solicitude 
for  them.  The  stars,  and  the  winds  that  lay 
their  cooling  benedictions  on  my  anxious 
head,  have  no  speech,  else  were  I  honored  as 


198 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

"  The  utterance  of  thy  lofty  sentiments  is  a 
compliment  to  me,  my  elder  brother.  But 
tell  me  how  I  may  serve  thee  " 

"  It  is  but  gentle  service, — and  for  the 
benefit  of  our  people,  Lee  Toy.  See,  they 
are  not  a  match  for  the  White  Devils,  who 
harass  them  by  day  and  night ;  their  troubles 
have  been  increased  lately  by  the  iron  hand 
of  the  iniquitous  law  as  administered  by  the 
police-officer  newly  appointed  to  Chinatown, 
one  Captain  Loomis.  He  must  be  disci 
plined.  But,  before  we  have  further  speech 
in  this  matter,  I  must  make  amends  for  my 
lack  of  courtesy." 

He  touched  a  hidden  spring,  and  a  panel 
in  the  wall  flew  open,  disclosing  a  tiny  cup 
board,  in  which  were  sam  shu  and  cups, — and 
a  formidable  revolver.  Noticing  Lee  Toy's 
look  of  surprise  at  seeing  the  latter,  he  said, 
"  You  see,  young  brother,  even  my  benevo 
lence  hath  to  guard  against  the  machinations 

of  the  White  Devils.     Nay,  look  here." 
199 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

He  touched  another  spring,  and  a  drawer 
was  disclosed  in  which  was  a  very  efficient 
rope-ladder  with  grappling-hooks. 

"  It  is  even  possible  that  I  may  be  put  to 
it  some  day  to  use  this  means  of  flight,  whilst 
I  am  meditating  benevolence  and  justice 
under  the  quiet  and  soothing  influence  of  the 
stars,  owing  to  the  suspicions  and  ill-will  of 
Captain  Loomis." 

"  The  good  are  ever  misunderstood  and 
ill-used,  Quong  Lung.  But  how  may  I 
serve  thee?" 

"Drink  first,  and  smoke  awhile,  ere  I 
propound  to  thee  in  what  way  thou  mayst 
ease  the  burdens  that  my  benevolence  and 
solicitude  for  others  have  imposed  on  me." 


200 


IV 

LIMING   THE   TWIG 

A  FTER  Quong  Lung  and  Lee  Toy  had 
<£*•  smoked  three  or  four  pipes,  and  dis 
posed  of  a  like  number  of  cups  of  sam  shu, 
the  former  broke  the  silence  with  a  sigh  of 
resignation,  and  said,  "  Lee  Toy,  my  heart 
was  moved  with  a  great  pity  when  it  was 
told  to  me  that  a  sing-song  of  gentle  breeding 
had  sought  shelter  in  Buncombe  Alley.  As 
thou  didst  lie  asleep  there,  the  night  I  found 
thee,  I  was  minded  of  my  own  son,  Quong 
Ching,  who  died  of  the  plague  last  year  at 
Hong  Kong,  whither  I  had  sent  him  on 
business  pertaining  to  my  firm.  And  it 
seemed,  as  I  looked  upon  thee  in  thy  sleep, 
that  Quong  Ching  had,  indeed,  come  back 
to  me.  For  he  was  of  thy  age  and  linea- 


201 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

ments  ;  and  when  thou  didst  wake  and  stand 
before  me,  the  likeness  was  heightened  by 
thy  carriage  and  speech.  He  was  brave,  too, 
and  a  son  after  my  own  heart ;  and  he  gave 
me  much  advice  concerning  the  maintenance 
of  order  in  this  turbulent  town,  and  thus  min 
istered  to  an  amiable  weakness  of  mine, — 
and  there  is  much  to  be  done."  He  paused 
a  while,  as  though  in  sorrowful  meditation. 

"  If  it  would  ease  thy  smart,  Quong  Lung, 
I  would  fain  take  up  the  thread  of  Quong 
Ching's  service  to  thee,  for  I  owe  thee 
much." 

"  May  the  sun  shine  propitiously  on  thee, 
my  young  brother,  for  thy  kind  words ! 
They  are  as  a  soothing  salve  to  an  old  sore. 
But,  nay ;  it  were  asking  too  much  of  thee, 
— the  carrying  out  of  that  which  is  on  my 
mind  for  the  good  of  our  down-trodden 
people." 

"  Try  me,  Quong  Lung, — for  the  sake  of 
thy  dead  son !" 


202 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

"  It  is  a  gentle  service,  too,  as  I  said 
before ;  and  one  befitting  a  man  of  gentle 
birth.  Wau  Shun  and  Sam  Lee  are  witless 
and  coolies,  and  not  to  be  trusted  in  this 
matter  which  concerns  the  ensnaring  of  a — 
a  little  bird,  and  its  care  in  this  my  gentle 
cage." 

"Why  doubt  me,  my  elder  brother.  I 
am  thine,  if  an  oath  of  blood  may  satisfy 
thee,  Quong  Lung." 

"  I  will  test  thee,  Lee  Toy,"  said  Quong 
Long;  and  turning  over  on  his  side  he 
whistled  down  a  speaking-tube. 

In  response  to  his  orders,  an  attendant  ap 
peared  with  a  fowl  and  a  brazier  of  burning 
charcoal. 

When  they  were  once  more  by  them 
selves,  Quong  Lung  severed  the  fowl's  head 
from  its  body,  and  Lee  Toy  repeated  a 
blood  oath  after  him :  "If  I  fail  to  keep 
this  my  oath,  may  my  head  be  shorn  from 

my  shoulders ;  and  may  my  body  be  con- 
203 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

sumed  with  fire,  even  as  is  this  fowl's ;"  and 
hereupon  Quong  Lung  thrust  the  fowl  into 
the  brazier. 

"  And  now,  Lee  Toy,"  said  Quong  Lung, 
after  he  had  put  the  brazier  outside  of  the 
room,  "  drink  once  more,  and  I  will  propound 
my  plans  to  thee." 

"  Proceed,"  returned  Lee  Toy,  after  he 
had  emptied  his  cup. 

"  The  service  I  ask  of  thee  really  concerns 
the  disciplining  of  Captain  Loomis."  Quong 
Lung  stopped  abruptly  and  looked  at  the 
young  man,  to  see  the  effect  of  his  opening 
statement  upon  him. 

"  Thou  saidst  so  before ;  and  thou  art 
great  enough — and  good  enough — to  under 
take  a  harder  task  than  that,  Quong  Lung ; 
and  I  am  thy  servant  in  all  things.  But 
what  of  the  bird  T 

"  It  is  his  little  son,  four  years  in  age." 
Again  Quong  Lung  paused  and  watched 

Lee  Toy  critically. 

204 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

"Yes?" 

"  And  the  child  is  the  life  of  his  life, — as 
dear  to  him  as  Quong  Ching  was  to  me." 

"  And  I  have  taken  Quong  Ching's  place. 
Prove  me." 

"  If  my  son  were  alive,  and  if  he  were 
told  that  his  father  was  being  harassed  by  a 
White  Devil,  he  would  assuredly  slay  him  ; — 
but  that  one  could  only  ask  of  one's  blood- 
kin.  All  I  ask  of  thee  is  the  abduction  of 
the  Spawn  of  the  White  Devil." 

"  It  shall  be  done — if  it  can  be  done  ;"  and 
Lee  Toy  looked  four-square  into  the  eyes  of 
the  great  plotter.  "  But  there  must  be  no 
harm  done  to  the  little  one,  Quong  Lung." 

"  There  is  ever  a  movement  of  tender 
solicitude  in  my  heart  towards  little  children, 
Lee  Toy.  Thou  hast  pained  me  by  the 
mere  suspicion  of  harm  to  a  tenderling." 

"  Thou  art  gentle,  as  thou  art  great,  and 
I  wronged  thee  unwittingly.  Forgive  me, 
Quong  Lung." 

205 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  My  gentle  young  brother,  the  man  of 
tender  feelings  is  continually  enduring  a 
thqusand  pricks :  it  is  the  price  of  tenderness. 
But  listen :  the  service  is  one  of  danger. 
Thou  canst  protect  thyself  with  this  ?"  And 
Quong  Lung  pointed  to  the  revolver  in  the 
cupboard. 

"  Being  a  juggler  by  profession,  my  eye  is 
twinned  to  my  hand,  and  my  aim  hath  never 
failed  me.  I  am  well  versed  in  the  use  of 
such  weapons." 

"  'Tis  well !"  exclaimed  Quong  Lung ; 
"thou  mayst  need  all  thy  skill.''  After  a 
minute  of  thought,  he  asked,  "  Thou  hast 
some  knowledge  of  the  speech  of  the  White 
Devils'?" 

"  Yes ;  such  as  our  people  acquire  in  the 
service  of  the  white  man,  for  whom  I,  too, 
have  worked  at  times." 

"  'Tis  still  better  !  I  have  it :  Thou  shalt 
take  the  place  of  Ah  Woon,  who  works  in 
the  house  of  Captain  Loomis.  And  now, 


206 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

thou  dear  to  me  as  my  lost  Quong  Ching,  I 
will  show  thee  the  secret  of  the  passages  thou 
must  traverse  with  thy  pretty  bird." 

"  But  he  will  make  outcry,  Quong  Lung." 

"  Nay,  for  he  shall  eat  sweetmeats  of  my 
making;  and  he  shall  sleep  in  thy  arms, 
as  doth  a  bird  with  its  head  under  its  wing 
upon  its  native  bough.  Thyself  shall  tend 
him  in  this  pretty  cage." 

"  Belike,  Quong  Lung,  it  will  be  sore  hurt 
to  his  mother,  and " 

"  And  we  will  salve  her  hurt  by  returning 
her  child  to  her  tender  bosom  after  his  father 
hath  been  disciplined ;  and  thou  shalt  have 
the  moiety  of  the  reward  offered  for  his  res 
toration  to  his  parents.  Have  I  not  felt  the 
pangs  of  bereavement  myself?"  And  Quong 
Lung,  holding  Lee  Toy  by  the  hand,  went 
forth  to  show  his  "  young  brother"  the  secrets 
of  his  underground  road. 


207 


V 

A    CHANGE    OF    HEART 

!  mother,  Lee  Toy  is  just  lovely," 
said  Captain  Loomis's  four -year- old 
son,  Harry.  He  was  sitting  at  the  dinner- 
table  with  a  napkin  tucked  under  his  chin, 
and  with  ready  spoon  was  waiting  for  Lee 
Toy's  culinary  creations. 

The  removal  of  Ah  Woon  from  the  Cap 
tain's  service  was  a  small  matter  that  Quong 
Lung  had  easily  arranged,  and  his  succession 
by  Lee  Toy  had  as  easily  followed. 

Lee  Toy  had  been  in  the  Captain's  house 
only  a  few  days.  In  that  short  time,  in  pur 
suance  of  the  plans  outlined  by  Quong  Lung, 
he  had  ingratiated  himself  with  little  Harry, 
who  was  an  out-and-out  "  home-ruler." 

So,  when  Harry  pronounced  Lee  Toy 
208 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

to  be  "lovely,"  his  dictum  was  implicitly 
accepted. 

"  He's  just  as  nice  as  pie,  mother." 

"Ah  Woon's  pie,  sonny?"  asked  the 
Captain. 

"  No,  dad  ;  his  own.  He  gave  me  a  taste 
of  it  just  now.  And  he  swallowed  three 
marbles — plumpers  ! — and  then  he  pulled 
one  of  them  out  of  my  nose,  and  he  says 
the  other  two  are  in  your  pockets.  Oh ! 
here  he  comes — dear,  funny  Lee  Toy !'' 
and  the  little  boy  waved  his  spoon  as  the 
Chinaman  put  a  soup-tureen  in  front  of 
the  Captain. 

"  It  smells  awful  good,  daddy  ; — but  won't 
you  just  feel  in  your  pockets  for  the  plum 
pers?  Do, — please,  dad." 

And  Captain  Loomis  felt  in  his  pockets, 
and  drew  forth  the  marbles,  much  to  his  own 
and  the  little  one's  amazement. 

"  Didn't  I  say  he  was  lovely  ! — dear  Lee 
Toy  !  And  he  can  talk  in  his  stomach,  and 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

make  paper  butterflies  that  mind  him.  Oh  ! 
I'm  so  glad  Ah  Woon  has  gone." 

"  Well,  Tm  not  so  glad :  I'm  afraid  Lee 
Toy  is  going  to  feed  us  on  '  plumper  pies.' " 

"  Oh,  dad,  you  make  me  tired  !" 

And  so  the  merry  dinner  proceeded.  The 
deft  young  Chinaman  had  favorably  im 
pressed  his  employers  in  many  other  ways. 
And  when  Harry  asked  to  be  allowed  to 
take  a  walk  with  Lee  Toy,  and  look  at  the 
stores  decorated  for  the  Christmas  trade,  he 
was  given  ready  leave. 

"  But  you  must  be  back  by  eight  o'clock, 
Harry,"  said  Mrs.  Loomis,  with  a  warning 
shake  of  her  finger. 

"  And  in  this  simple  way  hath  the  bird  been 
trapped !"  soliloquized  Lee  Toy,  as  he  led  little 
Harry  Loomis  into  Chinatown.  "  There  is 
no  use  for  these,"  and  he  threw  Quong 
Lung's  sophisticated  candies  into  the  gutter. 

As  they  crossed  Clay  Street,  a  cable-car 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

came  roaring  down  the  crowded  thorough 
fare.  The  little  boy  started  to  run  across 
the  street,  but  his  foot  slipped  on  some  filth, 
and  he  fell  in  front  of  the  car. 

Lee  Toy  saved  the  little  man,  but  he  was 
sorely  hurt  himself  in  his  solicitude  for  "  the 
Spawn  of  the  White  Devil." 

One  of  the  Chinatown  squad  had  wit 
nessed  the  episode,  and  telephoned  to  Cap 
tain  Loomis  for  instructions.  "  Tell  the 
ambulance  people  to  take  Lee  Toy  to  my 
house,"  was  the  Captain's  reply. 

And  thus  it  came  about  that  the  blindness 
of  the  heathen,  Lee  Toy,  was  illuminated 
by  the  rays  of  the  sweet  charity  that  knows 
no  difference  of  race  or  color,  and  that  ac 
counts  all  men  brothers. 

When  Lee  Toy  regained  consciousness,  he 
found  himself  in  bed  in  the  guest-chamber 
of  the  Captain's  house, — a  room  set  apart  for 
notables.  A  professional  nurse — and  the 
professional  nurses  of  San  Francisco  are  the 


211 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

best  in  the  world  ! — waited  upon  him.  There 
was  an  odor  in  the  room  of  the  clean  sweet 
flowers  and  plants  that  shed  benedictions: 
roses  and  lavender,  myrrh  and  rosemary, 
thyme  and  mint.  A  spray  of  smilax  was 
set  in  a  tall  crystal  vase.  And,  always, 
there  was  a  silent  woman  quaintly  capped 
and  aproned  who  ruled  him  with  a  warning 
finger,  and  laid  due  pressure  on  his  shoulder 
when  he  tried  to  raise  his  bandaged  head. 

"How  Missa  Rally ?"  he  asked,  feebly, 
the  morning  after  the  accident. 

"  Oh !  dear  Lee  Toy,  I  am  quite  well. 
Oh !  please  get  well  soon,"  and  the  little 
freckled  boy  made  a  dash  at  the  bed. 

"  Hush  !  Harry,"  said  the  nurse,  interrupt 
ing  the  child.  "  Hush  !  If  you  love  Lee 
Toy  you  will  not  make  a  noise." 

"  Oh !  Miss  Wilson,"  said  the  little  chap, 
"  I  must  tell  him  that  Ah  Woon  has  come 
back,  and  dad  says  Ah  Woon  is  a  '  ass/  and 
that  I^ee  Toy  is  a  'yellow  angel.' ' 

212 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

A  compromise  was  effected,  and  the  nurse 
allowed  the  little  one  to  leave  his  favorite 
plumpers  under  Lee  Toy's  pillow. 

"  He  is  a  '  white  angel' !"  said  Lee  Toy, 
one  day,  in  the  course  of  his  convalescence, 
referring  to  Harry,  after  the  significance  of 
the  term  had  been  explained  to  him. 

Such  services  as  sick  men  require  were 
duly  bestowed  upon  Lee  Toy,  much  to  his 
amaze.  And  every  day  Harry's  intrusions 
became  more  frequent  as  Lee  Toy's  conva 
lescence  progressed. 

On  a  day,  two  Chinese  coolies — one  with 
an  atrocious  squint — claimed  admission  to 
Lee  Toy's  chamber  as  his  next  of  kin. 

Their  interview  was  thus  reported  to  Quong 
Lung :  "  Far  Reacher,  the  man  Lee  Toy  is 
demented, — madness  hath  seized  upon  him 
by  reason  of  the  hurt  to  his  head.  The 
Spawn  of  the  Great  White  Devil  nightly  in- 
vadeth  his  chamber,  and  kneeleth  with  folded 
hands  before  the  white  woman  his  mother ; 
213 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

and  together  they  pray  to  an  unknown  God 
for  Lee  Toy's  welfare,  Lee  Toy  repeating 
the  words  with  the  child  !" 


"  Yea,  All  Seeing,"  said  Sam  Lee,  taking  up 
the  telling,  "  and  he  will  not  answer  us,  but 
follows  the  child  with  his  eyes." 

"  And  this  day,"  went  on  Wau  Shun, "  the 
white  woman  who  is  hired  to  tend  him  fed 
him  in  our  presence,  and  laid  his  head  on  her 
shoulder  as  she  raised  him  from  the  pillow." 

Quong  Lung  frowned :  his  emissary  was  by 
way  of  undergoing  a  change  of  heart  if  these 
doings  continued. 

"Next  week/'  he  said,  "ye  will  once 
more  tell  Lee  Toy  that  I  must  have  the  bird 
for  my  cage." 

"  Well ;  what  said  Lee  Toy  in  answer 
to  my  command?"  asked  Quong  Lung  of 
his  henchmen  after  they  had  returned  from 

Captain  Loomis's  house  the  following  week. 
214 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

"  We  met  a  policeman  in  the  passage  of 
the  White  Tormentor's  house,  Most  Wor 
shipful,"  answered  Wau  Shun.  "  And  when 
we  pronounced  thy  message  to  Lee  Toy, — 
— who  sat  on  a  chair,  and  is  now  nearly  re 
stored  to  health, — he  bade  the  white-capped 
woman  who  tends  him  leave  the  room. 
As  soon  as  the  door  was  closed,  Lee  Toy 
drew  a  revolver  from  his  blouse  and  covered 
us, — and  thou  knowest  he  cannot  miss  his 
mark  !  Throwing  a  purse  of  money  at  our 
feet,  he  bade  us  begone,  saying :  '  Deliver 
this  money  to  Quong  Lung,  and  tell  him  I 
owe  him  nothing.  The  bird  is  in  my  safe 
keeping  henceforth.  Begone,  coolies  !' " 

"  And  so  we  went,  Great  Master,"  added 
Sam  Lee,  "  for  there  was  menace  in  the  eyes 
of  Lee  Toy." 

"  Dogs  and  swine !"  exclaimed  Quong 
Lung  wrathfully ;  "  speak  with  him  once 
more  a  week  hence,  and  compel  him !" 


215 


VI 

THE    RAGE    OF    THE   HEATHEN 

1OO,  Lee  Toy  cometh  no  more  to  our 
^-J  councils.  Spake  ye  with  him?"  de 
manded  Quong  Lung  of  the  two  coolies 
at  their  next  meeting. 

"  Speech  we  had  with  him,  Most  Honor 
able,  and  that  but  two  nights  ago,  when  he 
spake  with  us  from  a  second-storey  window, 
in  the  house  of  the  White  Devil  who  hunteth 
us ;  and  he  bade  us  begone, — and  spat  at 
us!" 

"  And  ye  went  ?" 

"  Perforce,  Compeller ;  for  he  had  five 
arguments  of  powder  and  lead  in  each  hand, 
and,  as  thou  art  aware,  Lee  Toy  was  never 

known  to  miss  his  aim." 
216 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

"  Spawn  of  Canton !  must  I  tell  the  long 
ye  serve  that  their  teeth  are  drawn,  and  their 
knives  blunt,  and  that  Lee  Toy  hath  left 
them  without  being  punished  *?  What  said 
he?" 

"  Most  Worshipful,"  began  the  highbinder 
with  one  eye,  "  the  speech  is  Lee  Toy's,  and 
not  mine,  as  Wau  Shun  here  will  witness ;" 
and  Wau  Shun,  whose  eyes  looked  in  differ 
ent  directions,  shook  his  head  deprecatingly, 
and  said,  "  Twas  shameful  speech,  Thou 
Honorable." 

"  Say  on,  nevertheless." 

"  He  called  thee  '  smooth  fat  pig,' "  said 
Sam  Lee,  the  one-eyed  highbinder;  "  and  bade 
us  tell  thee  that  he  would  not  abduct  the  white 
child,  his  master's  son,  for  all  the  tongs  in  or 
out  of  hell ;  and  that  if  a  hair  of  the  babe's 
fell  he  would  dig  with  his  knife  in  thy  hon 
orable  bowels  till  he  found  it  again." 

Sam  Lee  ceased,  and  out  of  the  tail  of  his 

one  eye  he  watched  the  effect  of  his  speech 

217 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

on  Quong  Lung,  for  he  felt  that  Quong 
Lung  knew  he  had  embellished  the  epithets 
bestowed  on  him  by  Lee  Toy  in  return  for 
Quong  Lung's  "  Spawn  of  Canton." 

"  There  are  other  knives  beside  thee,  Sam 
Lee,"  said  Quong  Lung,  slowly  biting  off 
the  end  of  a  cigar ;  "  I  fear  thy  edge  is 
dulled  ;  and  now  thou  art  coward — and  liar, 
too." 

"  Nay,  Quong  Lung !"  exclaimed  Wau 
Shun,  "  had  he  lied  to  thee  I  had  slain  him 
in  thy  presence.  Look  !"  And  the  man 
whose  eyes  were  hard  to  meet  unfolded  his 
arms,  and  showed  the  gleaming  barrel  of 
a  revolver  peeping  out  of  each  of  his  long 
sleeves ;  and  Quong  Lung  reflected  that  one 
of  the  revolyers  had  covered  him  through 
out  the  interview, — and  he  calmly  proceeded 
to  light  his  cigar  with  the  careless  intrepidity 
that  had  raised  him  to  his  bad  pre-eminence. 

"What    else   was    said?"   asked   Quong 

Lung,  stolidly  regarding  the  last  speaker. 
218 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

"  Most  Honorable — and  Most  Brave  !" 
returned  the  highbinder,  "  he  said,  further, 
that  he  had  made  a  list  of  the  names  of  our 
brethren  who  be  knives  and  hatchets, — and 
of  the  various  loppings  done  by  each, — and 
who  instigated  thereto !  And  that  he  had 
bestowed  the  writing  where  his  master,  the 
White  Devil,  would  find  it  if  anything 
happened  to  him — Lee  Toy — or  to  the 
White  Devilkin." 

"  Ah !" 

"  And  last  night  we  went  again,"  said  Sam 
Lee,  reasserting  himself;  "  and  climbing  the 
pillars  at  the  back  of  the  house  by  means 
of  grappling-hooks,  we  looked  in  and  saw 
shameful  sights." 

"  Proceed." 

"  Lee  Toy,  O  Provider  of  Bounties,  was 
playing  ass  to  the  White  Babe  who  sat 
astride  of  him  and  pulled  his  queue  ;  and  the 
White  Devil,  his  father,  applauded ;  so  we 

were  put  to  shame,  and  felt  hot." 
219 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Further,"  interrupted  Wau  Shun,  taking 
up  the  narrative,  "  she,  the  mother  of  the 
White  Babe,  came  in,  crowned  with  beauty 
— and  disgrace  !  She  wore  red  flowers  in 
her  hair ;  and  her  arms  and  her  neck  were 
bare,  so  that  the  lewd  might  look  upon  her 
bosom,  and  I  cursed  her — for  that  I  once 
had  a  mother !" 

"  Phthoo  !"  interrupted  Quong  Lung,  spit 
ting  on  the  ground. 

"  She  encouraged  the  twain  in  their  play ; 
and  presently,  perceiving  that  her  shoe  was 
unfastened,  she  called  to  Lee  Toy,  who  went 
on  his  knees  before  her,  and  did  slave's  ser 
vice, — and  all  for  the  love  of  the  babe  that 
pulled  his  queue  !  And  then  she  and  her 
lord  departed  in  a  carriage  that  awaited  them, 
as  is  their  nightly  custom ;  and  Lee  Toy 
came  forth  upon  an  upper  porch,  and  called 
softly  in  the  darkness,  saying :  4  Sam  Lee ! 
Wau  Shun !  Sons  of  Unknown  Fathers ! 
Go  and  tell  the  smooth,  fat  hog,  Quong 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

Lung,  that  his  life  and  yours  are  in  my 
hands  ;  but  tell  him,  too,  that  ye  are  safe  be 
cause  of  the  love  I  bear  the  White  Babe.' " 

"  Ah  !"  exclaimed  Quong  Lung.  Then, 
after  a  pause,  he  went  on,  "  So  ye  are  con 
tent  to  leave  your  lives  in  the  hands  of 
Lee  Toy,  highbinder,  who  hath  broken  his 
covenant  with  ye*?" 

"What  wouldst  thou  V  inquired  Sam 
Lee. 

"  Nothing,  nothing !"  he  exclaimed,  dis 
dainfully,  "  nothing  of  such  as  fight  with 
teeth  and  talons,  and  horns  and  hoofs,  like 
beasts, — but — men  of  reason  have  other 
weapons  !  Behold  !"  and  taking  the  imple 
ments  of  writing  from  his  girdle,  he  wrote  in 
bold  Chinese  characters,  across  a  notice  of 
reward  for  the  detection  of  the  perpetrators 
of  a  recent  notorious  murder  in  Chinatown, 
that  which  is  here  translated :  Sam  Lee  and 
Wau  Shun,  highbinders  and  murderers.  In 
quire  of  Quong  Lung,  merchant^  Jackson  Street. 


221 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

He  tossed  the  paper  to  Wau  Shun,  who 
read  it  with  stupid  fear,  and  gave  it  back  to 
him,  saying :  "  Great  is  Quong  Lung ! — and 
his  servants  would  know  his  will." 

Taking  the  paper,  Quong  Lung  twisted  it 
into  a  spill,  and  proceeded  to  light  his  cigar 
with  it ;  after  which  he  thrust  what  remained 
of  it  into  the  brazier  of  burning  charcoal  in 
front  of  him,  wherein  it  was  soon  consumed. 

"  Are  ye  yet  safe,  think  ye,  from  deporta 
tion  and  beheading,  or  a  shameful  death  at 
the  hands  of  the  white  hangman?"  asked 
Quong  Lung,  as  the  flames  died  down  in 
the  brazier. 

"  What  I  have  done,  Lee  Toy  hath  done, 
too — and  yet,  fire  hath  properties  !" 

A  look  of  intelligence  came  into  the  dull 
flat  faces  of  the  coolies  as  they  rose  to  de 
part.  When  they  neared  the  door,  Quong 
Lung  called  after  them  oracularly :  "  What 
will  remove  the  writing  will  remove  also 
the  writer ! — and  even  the  Spawn  of  the 


222 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

White  Devil.      Further,   nothing  concealeth 
like  fire  !" 

And  Sam  Lee  and  Wau  Shun  went  silently 
forth  into  the  quiet  streets  now  under  the 
sway  of  the  night  and  the  stars  that  see  so 
many  things  without  telling. 


223 


VII 

SPREADING   THE   GOSPEL 

WHAT  Wau  Shun  and  Sam  Lee  saw 
that  Christmas  Eve,  after  they  had 
left  Quong  Lung,  and  as  they  dangled  like 
great  spiders  from  the  pillars  on  the  back 
porch  of  Captain  Loomis,  the  famous  police- 
officer  whose  name  was  a  terror  to  the  wicked 
of  Chinatown,  is  here  set  forth,  together  with 
that  which  was  spoken,  but  which  they  could 
neither  hear  nor  understand. 

Lee  Toy,  on  his  hands  and  knees,  was 
doing  his  best  to  imitate  "Danby,"  the 
Shetland  pony  of  the  sturdy  four-year-old 
with  the  freckled  face  who  bestrode  him,  and 
held  his  queue  with  one  hand  whilst  he 
flogged  him  with  the  other,  shouting  from 

time    to    time,    "Whoa,    Danby!    gee-up, 
224 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

Danby  !"  for  the  encouragement  of  his  steed. 
Whilst  he  was  thus  engaged  the  door  opened, 
and  a  lady  and  gentlemen  in  evening  dress 
entered. 

"  How  is  Danby  behaving  to-night, 
Harry  *?"  inquired  the  lady. 

"  He  won't  buck  worth  a  cent,  mother," 
replied  the  little  man,  pulling  sturdily  at  the 
queue  till  the  tears  came  into  Lee  Toy's 
eyes. 

"  Whoa,  Harry  !"  exclaimed  the  Captain, 
picking  the  boy  off  the  Chinaman's  back ; 
"you  are  too  rough,  my  son.  Remember 
whose  birthday  it  will  be  to-morrow,  and 
that  He  was  always  gentle.  Good-night, 
sonny;  and  don't  forget  to  hang  up  your 
stockings,  for  Santa  Claus  comes  to-night." 

"  Shall  I  hang  up  a  stocking  for  Lee  Toy, 
too,  father  ?" 

"  Certainly,  my  son.  And  now,  good 
night  ;  and  let  Lee  Toy  put  you  to  bed ;" 
and  with  that  the  Captain  and  his  wife  kissed 
15  225 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

their  little  son,  and  left  the  house  to  spend 
the  night  at  a  Christmas-Eve  party. 

"  Come  here,  Lee  Toy,"  said  the  little  boy, 
after  the  Chinaman  had  undressed  him  and 
put  him  to  bed.  Lee  Toy  obeyed,  kneeling 
beside  the  bed,  and  holding  the  little  man's 
hands  between  his  own. 

"  Lee  Toy,  I  forgot  to  play  Samson  and 
the  Philistines  with  you  to-night." 

"  Thank  you,  Missa  Hally,"  replied  Lee 
Toy,  meekly,  for,  as  the  representative  of  the 
Philistines,  Lee  Toy  did  not  enjoy  the  game 
as  much  as  Harry,  who  was  fond  of  slaying 
him  with  the  jaw-bone  of  an  ass, — that  is, 
with  anything  that  was  handy. 

"Are  you  sure  nobody  will  take  the  stock 
ings  off  the  mantelpiece  to-night,  Lee  Toy  ?" 

"  Sure,  Missa  Rally." 

"And  did  you  hang  up  a  pair  for  your 
self?" 

"  Yes,  Hally ;  and  one  fo'  Dammy." 
226 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

Then,  after  a  pause  and  a  yawn,  the  little 
boy  said,  "  D'you  think,  Lee  Toy,  if  I  wish 
very  much  for  something  that  Santa  Claus 
will  give  it  to  me  ?" 

"  Of  cawse,  Rally ;  he  heap  good." 

"  D'you  think,  Lee  Toy,  he  could  get  a 
pair  of  wings  into  my  stockings  ?" 

"Why,  yes,  Missa  Hally,  if  they  have 
spots  on  um, — blue  and  gleen  and  led  spots, 
with  white  stlipes." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  dear  Lee  Toy.  Now, 
you  may  say  my  prayers  for  me."  And  in 
the  curious,  breathless  fashion  in  which  little 
boys  say  their  prayers,  Lee  Toy  rushed 
through  the  Lord's  Prayer  as  he  had  often 
heard  the  child  say  it,  finally  winding  up 
with  the  usual  "  and  make  me  a  goolil  boy. 
Amen." 

After  a  few  minutes'  silence,  the  little  voice 
asked,  sleepily,  "  Did  you  say  the  wings  must 
have  blue  and  green  and  red  spots,  Lee 

Toy?" 

227 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Yes,  Missa  Hally, — and  white  stlipes." 

"  Thank  you,  Lee  Toy ;  I  had  forgotten 
the  stripes.  Good-night." 

When  the  little  boy  was  fast  asleep,  Lee 
Toy  went  out  on  to  the  dark  porch,  and 
said,  softly,  "  Sam  Lee  and  Wau  Shun,  Sons 
of  Shameless  Mothers  !  go  home  and  ponder 
the  strength  and  wisdom  of  a  little  child." 

And  then  returning  to  the  little  boy's 
room,  he  stretched  himself  in  front  of  the 
fire,  and  took  comfort  in  a  pipe  of  opium, 
after  the  manner  of  his  kind. 


228 


VIII 

HOW    ONE    MAY    FLY    WITHOUT   WINGS 

'T'M  sorry  for  your  domestic  troubles,"  said 
JL  Mrs.  Loomis  to  the  gentleman  with 
whom  she  was  dancing  at  one  of  the  great 
houses  on  Jackson  Street ;  "  you  ought  to  get 
rid  of  your  Biddy  and  employ  a  Chinaman. 
We  have  one,  and  he's  simply  splendid : — 
devoted  to  my  little  chap, — can  cook  a 
salmi  to  perfection, — and  my  little  son  is 
teaching  him  the  rudiments  of  Christianity, 
and  so  we  are  spreading  the  Gospel  under 
our  own  roof-tree." 

"  Yes ;  and  the  heathen  in  his  blindness 
probably  steals  your  loose  cash  for  himself, 
and  your  husband's  letters  for  the  benefit  of 
his  brother  highbinders." 

"  What !  Lee  Toy  <*     Never !" 
229 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

The  gay  young  woman's  chatter  and 
laughter  were  stopped  by  the  sudden  pealing 
of  the  bells  throughout  the  city,  announcing 
once  more  "  glad  tidings  of  great  joy."  The 
ball-room  was  hushed,  whilst  a  carillon  in  a 
neighboring  belfry  trolled  out  the  joyous 
strains  of  Adeste  Fideles. 

"  O  come,  let  us  adore  Him,  Christ,  the 
Lord !"  sang  Mrs.  Loomis,  softly,  accom 
panying  the  music  of  the  bells.  She  had 
scarcely  finished,  when  there  boomed  forth 
the  signal  that  told  of  a  fire  in  the  district  in 
which  she  lived.  Captain  Loomis  had  counted 
the  signal  also,  and  in  less  than  five  minutes 
they  were  driving  rapidly  to  the  scene  of  the 
fire.  As  they  turned  into  their  street  they 
saw  that  it  was,  indeed,  their  house  that  was 
ablaze  ;  and  on  the  roof  of  the  doomed  build 
ing  and  against  the  sky-line  was  Lee  Toy 
walking  to  and  fro  with  a  little  child  in  his 
arms. 

The  crowd  made  way  in  hushed  awe  for 
230 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

the  carriage,  as  word  went  down  the  line 
that  it  contained  Captain  Loomis  and  his 
wife.  And  when  they  could  go  no  nearer 
to  the  burning  house,  the  Captain,  supporting 
his  wife,  waited  for  the  impending  catastrophe 
with  dry  eyes  and  an  aching  heart. 

So  fierce  was  the  heat  that  the  men  with 
the  scaling-ladders  had  been  driven  away  from 
the  house,  and  the  doom  of  the  man  and  the 
child  seemed  to  be  sealed. 

What  had  happened  in  the  house  and 
what  was  now  taking  place  on  the  roof  was 
this:  Lee  Toy  awoke  at  midnight  to  find 
the  room  full  of  smoke.  He  instantly  real 
ized  that  the  house  was  on  fire,  and  darted 
out  of  the  room  to  look  for  an  avenue  of 
escape.  Then,  finding  that  the  basement 
and  the  lower  story  were  ablaze,  and  that  his 
only  escape  was  by  way  of  the  roof,  he  hastily 
tied  a  handkerchief  round  the  little  boy's  eyes; 

and  wrapping  him  up  in  a  blanket  snatched 
231 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

from  the  bed,  he  ran  up  the  stairs  with  him 
and  stepped  out  of  a  window  on  to  the  roof, 
— only  to  find  that  the  fire-escape  ladder  had 
been  removed  !  He  could  hear  the  booming 
of  the  fire-alarm  and  the  clatter  of  the  ap 
proaching  engines ;  and  whilst  the  Fire  De 
partment  was  rapidly  getting  into  action,  he 
sought  the  front  portion  of  the  roof.  The 
spectators  cheered  him  as  he  came  into  view, 
whilst  the  ladder-escape  was  pushed  near  to 
the  burning  house  and  unlimbered. 

"What  is  the  matter,  Lee  Toy?"  asked 
Harry,  who  was  now  awake  and  trying  to 
remove  the  handkerchief  from  his  eyes. 

"Hush,  Missa  Hally !  Santa  Claus  he 
come,  an'  he  put  yo'  wings  on  yo', — on'y 
he  fly  way,  an'  give  yo'  wings  to  the  lil  boy 
acloss  the  load.  Shut  yo'  eyes  now." 

"  And  do  they  blow  the  fire-alarm  when 
Santa  Claus  comes,  Lee  Toy?" 

u  Of  cawse,  Missa  Hally  ;  ebly  time." 

The   hook-and-ladder    men    had    almost 
232 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

reached  the  top  storey  of  the  building  when 
a  fierce  gust  of  flame,  belching  through  the 
windows,  drove  them  to  the  ground  again ; 
and  a  wail  of  despair  rose  from  the  spectators, 
Lee  Toy  took  the  blanket  off  the  little  boy 
and  tossed  it  into  the  street ;  instantly  four 
strong  men,  standing  as  close  to  the  burning 
house  as  they  dared,  held  it  taut ;  and  the 
crowd  yelled  to  Lee  Toy  to  jump. 

"  Missa  Hally,  Santa  Glaus  want  you  fly 
now.  Don'  you  be  flightened  !" 

"  Have  the  wings  got  the  right  spots,  Lee 
Toy, — red,  and  green,  and  blue  *?" 

"  Yes,  yes  ! — and  white  stlipes.  Now  ; 
one — two — tlee — an'  way  you  go  !" 

The  men  with  the  blanket  were  fully 
twenty  feet  from  the  burning  building,  so — 
to  add  impetus  to  the  child's  flight — Lee 
Toy  leapt  as  he  threw  him. 

The  crowd  cheered  as  the  men  with  the 
blanket  caught  the  little  one, — but  Lee  Toy 
did  not  hear  them. 

233 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 


"  He  may  possibly  rouse  and  speak  before 
he  dies,"  said  the  young  surgeon  at  the  Re 
ceiving  Hospital  to  Captain  Loomis  who  sat 
beside  the  dying  Chinaman.  Another  China 
man,  whose  eyes  were  hard  to  meet  and  who 
had  been  admitted  as  Lee  Toy's  nearest  of 
kin,  watched  at  the  foot  of  the  bed  with 
folded  arms. 

Presently  a  woman,  on  an  errand  of  mercy, 
began  to  sing  "  Hark !  the  herald  angels 
sing,"  somewhere  in  the  ward.  Lee  Toy 
opened  his  eyes  slowly,  and,  recognizing  the 
Captain,  he  smiled. 

"  How  Missa  Hally  *?"  he  inquired,  feebly. 

"  Safe,  and  quite  well,  dear  Lee  Toy." 

Then  after  a  pause  the  dying  Chinaman 
said,  "  You  send  me  back  to  China  ?" 

"  Surely,  Lee  Toy." 

Presently  Lee  Toy  fumbled  painfully  in 

one  of  his  pockets,  from  which  he  drew  a 

package,  and  holding  it  out  to  the  Chinaman 

who  stood  at  the  foot  of  the  bed,  he  said  in 

234 


The  Wings  of  Lee  Toy 

his  own  tongue :  "  Wau  Shun,  consider  the 
strength  and  pity  of  an  innocent  babe,  who 
would,  doubtless,  have  me  give  thee  this 
package, — and  thy  life  !" 

Then,  as  his  eyes  began  to  glaze  and  his 
breath  to  come  in  short  gasps,  Lee  Toy 
whispered :  "  Tell  Missa  Hally  I  got  my 
wings,  too, — with  led,  and  blue,  and  gleen 
spots, — and  white  stlipes " 

And  thus,  on  a  Christmas  morning,  did 
Lee  Toy,  highbinder,  pass  into  the  presence 
of  Him  who  had  also  loved  little  ones, — and 
who  forgives  much  to  those  who  love  much. 


235 


PART   V 

¥ 

The  Seats  of  ^Judgment 


237 


I 


THAT   TWO   EYES   ARE   BETTER    THAN 
ONE   IN   THE   DARK 


hast  the  writings  of  Lee  Toy, 
Wau  Shun  !"  asked  Sam  Lee  of  his 
brother  highbinder,  as  the  latter  issued  from 
the  Receiving  Hospital  of  San  Francisco. 

"  Verily,  or  thou  hadst  heard  my  dogs  bark 
within,"  replied  Wau  Shun. 
"  And  Lee  Toy  «" 

"  Lee  Toy  died  babbling  of  wings,  and  of 
the  White  Babe  whose  life  he  saved  from 
fire  this  day  at  the  price  of  his  own,  and 
whose  father  stood  beside  him  weeping  like 
a  woman." 

"  Was  ever  the  like  seen  before  !"  exclaimed 
Sam  Lee.     "  That  Lee  Toy,  the  bravest  of 
the    brave,   and   who   promised   to   be    the 
239 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

keenest  hatchet  of  our  long,  should  fail  his 
brethren,  and  break  his  oaths,  and  worship 
the  White  Babe  whose  abduction  he  had  un 
dertaken — and  that  the  babe's  father  should 
weep  for  one  of  our  people  !" 

"  Ay,  and,  what  is  of  more  importance, 
that  Lee  Toy  should  have  given  me  the 
writings  that  would  have  hanged  us  who 
compassed  his  passing  !  Eh,  Sam  Lee  ?" 

"  Yea,  Wau  Shun ;  and  compassed  also 
the  hanging  of  Quong  Lung, — nay,  turn  not 
so  suddenly  in  a  narrow  lane,  my  brother, 
for  I  have  but  one  eye,  as  thou  knowest,  and 
that  cannot  abide  swift  movement  in  the 
dark  on  the  part  of  a  man  whose  life  is  for 
feit  ;"  and  Sam  Lee  drew  a  darkling  revolver 
from  his  blouse. 

With  a  deft  movement,  Wau  Shun,  who 
had  the  advantage  of  two  eyes — though  they 
looked  in  different  directions,  and  were  hard 
to  meet — threw  Sam  Lee's  hand  up,  and 

snatched  the  pistol  from  him. 
240 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

"  'Twere  easy  to  slay  thee  now,  Sam  Lee ; 
and  'twere  profitable,  too — if  only  Quong 
Lung  were  out  of  the  way/1 

"  Ay,  if  Quong  Lung  were  only  out  of  the 
way  ;  but  Quong  Lung  lives,  and  waxes  fat, 
— and  Wau  Shun  is  his  slave  !" 

No  more  was  said.  They  turned  into  a 
narrow  alley  near  the  top  of  Jackson  Street, 
Wau  Shun  walking  in  the  rear.  As  soon  as 
they  had  entered  the  shadow  produced  by  the 
narrowness  of  the  lane  and  by  its  angle  to  the 
lighted  main  street,  there  was  a  sharp  report, 
and  Sam  Lee  fell  on  his  face,  and  coughed 
like  one  who  is  stricken  through  the  lungs. 

The  swarms  that  inhabit  Chinatown  began 
to  buzz.  In  a  few  minutes  the  alley  was 
crowded  with  curious  coolies  jabbering  ex 
citedly,  and  in  the  fifth  or  sixth  row  of  those 
who  stood  round  Sam  Lee  was  Wau  Shun, 
watching  the  blood  that  welled  from  the 
mouth  of  the  dying  man  and  prevented 
speech. 

16  241 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

After  Wau  Shun  had  seen  the  corpse  of 
his  brother  highbinder  laid  out  on  a  slab  at 
the  morgue,  he  treated  himself  to  a  couple 
of  jorums  of  "  hot-Scotch,"  and  sought  his 
den  in  Cum  Cook  Alley. 

Lighting  a  dim  candle,  he  proceeded  to 
barricade  himself,  and  to  conceal  his  light, 
by  means  of  a  coverlet  that  was  held  in  its 
place,  on  his  side  of  the  door,  by  iron  bars 
that  crossed  and  recrossed  each  other. 

When  all  was  snug,  he  drew  from  an  inner 
pocket  the  roll  of  papers  given  to  him  by 
Lee  Toy,  which  set  forth  the  names  of  the 
several  highbinders  who  belonged  to  his  tong, 
the  various  loppings  accomplished  by  their 
"  hatchets,"  and,  in  a  special  supplement,  the 
instigations  to  certain  notorious  crimes  by 
their  master-mind,  Quong  Lung. 

Lighting  a  brazier,  he  tore  out  his  own 
record  from  the  writing,  and  committed  it 
to  the  flames.  But  that  which  related  to 

Quong  Lung  he  placed  in  a  receptacle  cun- 
242 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

ningly   concealed  in  the    threshold   of  the 
door. 

Then,  extinguishing  his  light,  he  sallied 
forth  with  the  rest  of  Lee  Toy's  confessions 
in  his  pocket,  to  speak  with  Quong  Lung, 
who  had  awaited  him  these  many  hours  with 
patience — and  wrath. 


243 


II 

THE   LESSER   DISCIPLINE 

THE  dawn  of  Christmas  Day  was  rosy 
when  Wau  Shun  reached  Quong 
Lung's  store.  The  bells  throughout  the  city 
of  San  Francisco  were  once  more  frantically 
announcing  the  birth  of  the  Babe  of  Beth 
lehem,  as  Wau  Shun  gave  the  signal  of  "  The 
Brethren"  on  Quong  Lung's  electric  bell.  It 
was  answered  by  a  deep  voice  that  came 
through  a  speaking-tube,  the  end  of  which 
was  so  cleverly  hidden  that  none  but  the 
initiated  could  find  it : 

"Peace  attend  thy  feet !  What  brother 
needs  succor  ?" 

"  Thy  servant,  Wau  Shun." 

"Enter,  Wau  Shun,"  and  the  door  was 

244 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

opened  by  some  mechanical  contrivance, 
and  closed,  as  soon  as  Wau  Shun  had  crossed 
the  threshold,  with  a  snap  suggestive  of  a 
steel  trap.  Pressing  a  concealed  button, 
Wau  Shun  lit  an  incandescent  lamp  that 
showed  him  how  to  avoid  the  thread,  the 
breaking  of  which  would  have  precipitated  a 
hundred-weight  of  iron  on  the  head  of  an 
intruder.  At  the  end  of  the  passage  thus 
illuminated  was  a  door,  to  which  he  applied 
his  pass-key,  and  entered  an  apartment 
that  was  a  reflex  of  its  occupant,  in  whom 
East  and  West  were  met.  The  room  was 
decorated  and  furnished  in  accordance  with 
the  tastes  of  a  Chinese  gentleman  of  high 
culture ;  but  the  illumination  was  supplied 
by  electricity,  and  a  long-distance  telephone, 
of  the  latest  pattern,  stood  at  the  elbow  of 
the  stout,  spectacled  Chinese  merchant,  who 
sat  on  a  great  ebony  chair,  gravely  smoking 
a  cigar. 

He  was  Quong  Lung. 
245 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"  Thou  hast  done  well,  Wau  Shun,"  he 
began,  "  and  deservest  well — but  dry  tongues 
cannot  speak." 

Pouring  out  some  whiskey  for  himself,  he 
pushed  the  bottle  across  to  Wau  Shun,  who 
had  now  seated  himself  on  the  other  side  of 
the  table. 

"  Thy  servant  is  enriched  by  thy  appro 
bation,  Most  Powerful,"  replied  Wau  Shun, 
draining  his  glass  after  Quong  Lung  had 
drunk. 

"  The  passing  of  Lee  Toy  by  way  of 
fire  was  excellently  done,  Wau  Shun  — 
most  excellently  done.  And  where  is  Sam 
Lee?" 

"  He  is  aweary  and  sleepeth,  Great  Master," 
answered  Wau  Shun,  whose  squinting  was 
suddenly  accentuated. 

"  May  his  sleep  refresh  him !  But  the 
end  of  Lee  Toy,  as  I  have  already  said, 
was  surpassingly  excellent,  Wau  Shun.  I 

learnt  by  this" — and  Quong  Lung  pointed 
246 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

with  his  cigar  to  the  telephone — "  I  learnt 
by  this  of  the  firing  of  the  house  of 
the  White  Devil  whose  babe  Lee  Toy 
guarded,  and  how  Lee  Toy  died  to  save 
the  devilkin." 

"  Ho,  ho,  ho !"  interrupted  Wau  Shun, 
chuckling  softly,  and  helping  himself  again 
from  the  bottle. 

"  And  the  writings  of  Lee  Toy  *?"  asked 
Quong  Lung,  after  a  while. 

Without  a  word  Wau  Shun  laid  a  packet 
on  the  table. 

"  But  these  pertain  to  Sam  Lee  only,"  ex 
claimed  Quong  Lung,  after  he  had  examined 
the  roll  of  papers ;  and  his  nostrils  dilated 
slightly.  "  Thou  hast,  doubtless,  others  that 
relate  to  thee  and  to  me." 

"  Now,  nay,  All-Seeing ;  the  packet  is  as 
Lee  Toy  gave  it  to  me — so  Sam  Lee  will 
tell  thee." 

"  If  the  dead  may  speak,"  said  Quong 
Lung,  deliberately. 

247 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

The  other  turned  towards  him  with  amaze 
ment  and  horror  in  his  looks.  It  was  ad 
mirably  done,  but  it  did  not  even  attract  the 
attention  of  Quong  Lung,  who  quietly  flicked 
the  ash  from  his  cigar,  and  went  on  :  "  And 
thou  wast  seen  by  two  of  our  brethren  in 
the  crowd  that  witnessed  the  end  of  Sam 
Lee ;  and  'twere  easy,  too,  to  find  witnesses 
who  saw  thee  slay  Sam  Lee."  Then, 
after  a  pause,  he  went  on :  "  Moreover, 
only  fools  tell  lies  to  such  as  me.  None 
may  sit  on  that  chair  and  lie  to  me — only 
lift  not  thy  voice  at  the  proof  of  it,  lest 
death  come  to  thee  suddenly !" 

The  next  moment  the  horror-stricken 
highbinder  was  writhing  under  the  spell  of 
an  electric  current,  strong  enough  to  prevent 
him  from  relaxing  his  hold  on  the  arms  of 
his  chair,  which  he  had  grasped  as  he  tried 
to  spring  to  his  feet. 

After   Quong    Lung    had    disarmed    his 

victim,  he   said:  "Thou  wilt  be  here  two 

248 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

days  hence,  and  at  the  same  hour,  with  the 
other  writings  of  Lee  Toy  !  Two  of  thy 
brethren  await  thee  on  the  street,  and  will  see 
to  thy  punctuality.  Drink  once  more,  Wau 
Shun  ;  thou  hast  need.  Ho,  ho  !" 


249 


Ill 

SWEET    COUNSEL   AND   "BLACK    SMOKE 


turkey,  cranberry  sauce,  mince 
pies,  plum  pudding,  cheese  straws, 
a  choice  between  beer  and  champagne! 
Well,  Quong  Lung,  and  what  do  you  want 
of  me,  you  prince  of  plotters  ?" 

The  speaker  had  all  the  outward  and 
visible  signs  of  one  who  was  a  slave  to 
opium  ;  but  under  the  influence  of  Quong 
Lung's  Christmas  dinner  his  eyes  sparkled 
and  his  spirits  rose  to  a  high  pitch. 

"  Nothing,  nothing,  Jim  —  at  least  nothing 
to  speak  of;  and  we  won't  speak  of  it  until 
we  have  had  a  small  black  coffee,  and  —  a 
small  black  pipe.  By  the  way,"  he  went 
on,  "Ah  Moy  and  Shu  Sen  will  come  in 
presently  with  the  coffee  and  pipes." 
250 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

Quong  Lung's  guest,  James  Ray,  was  lank 
and  sallow,  and  of  uncertain  age,  because  of 
his  terrible  vice,  and  his  hair  was  prematurely 
gray.  He  had  been  an  electrical  engineer 
of  high  promise  until  he  became  an  opium- 
fiend.  Even  his  clothes  betrayed  his  failing, 
no  less  than  his  scanty  and  feeble  beard  and 
mustache  and  his  leaden  complexion.  He 
had  attended  the  same  Eastern  college  as 
Quong  Lung,  and  had  imbued  the  latter  with 
a  taste  for  Shakespeare  and  Byron  and  the 
Psalms  of  David  ;  together  they  had  gradu 
ated  from  Yale ;  and  then  Quong  Lung, 
recognizing  the  ability  of  his  friend  and  the 
possibilities  of  electricity  in  the  career  of  a 
highbinder,  had  introduced  Ray  to  the  fasci 
nation  of  opium-smoking  ;  and  so — through 
the  uses  of  adversity — he  held  the  latter  in 
pawn  for  his  own  nefarious  ends. 

"  Why  all  this  magnificence,  Quong 
Lung  ?"  inquired  Ray  after  Ah  Moy  and  her 

colleague  had  brought  in  the  coffee  and  the 
251 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

implements  pertaining  to  "  black  smoke." 
"  You  have  but  to  say  the  word,  old  man, 
and,  like  Ariel,  4  I'll  put  a  girdle  round  the 
earth  in  forty  minutes.' " 

Now  the  hiring  of  Ah  Moy  and  Shu  Sen 
to  twang  their  sam-yens  for  the  delectation  of 
white  devils,  and  hand  them  coffee,  and  sing 
to  them,  "  came  high,"  for  the  damsels  were 
famous  in  their  way  and  in  great  demand. 

"  This  is  too  small  a  thing  for  you  to 
notice,  Jim,"  replied  Quong  Lung ;  "  nothing 
is  too  good  for  my  friend." 

"  Why  didn't  you  add,  '  the  earth  is  my 
lord's  and  the  fulness  thereof,'  and  crush  me 
with  your  compliments  *?  As  though  I  were 
a  damned  coolie !" 

There  was  some  petulance  in  Ray's  voice, 
as  he  gave  way  to  the  feeble  irritability  that 
attends  the  constant  use  of  narcotics  and 
stimulants  by  all  except  Orientals.  He  rose 
to  his  elbow  from  the  mat  on  which  he  was 

smoking,  and  threw  the  pipe  on  its  tray,  like 
252 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

a  spoiled  child.  But  Quong  Lung  took  no 
notice  of  the  little  outbreak,  and  Ah  Moy 
put  the  pipe  to  his  lips  with  her  own  fair 
hands,  and  soon  coaxed  him  into  com 
placency.  When  a  look  of  contentment 
had  once  more  settled  on  his  face,  Ray  said, 
deprecatingly,  "  It  was  the  4  dope'  that  spoke, 
Quong  Lung,  and  not  I;  forgive  me,  old 
man  !  And  now,  what  do  you  want  ?" 

Quong  Lung  motioned  to  the  girls  to 
withdraw,  and  when  he  was  alone  with  Ray, 
he  said,  "  Jim,  I  shall  hang  unless  you  help 
me." 

"You  must  be  in  a  bad  fix,  indeed, 
Quong  Lung,  if  you  depend  on  my  small 
arts  to  help  you.  Explain." 

"  Certain  papers  implicating  me  are  in  the 
possession  of  one  of  my  blood-hounds,  who 
has  shown  himself  recalcitrant  and  ungrate 
ful — the  damned  dog !  By  means  of  the 
battery  yonder,  which  you  rigged  up  for 
me,  I  frightened  the  brute  considerably  this 
253 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

morning,  and  he  will  be  here  again  two 
nights  hence  with  such  of  the  papers  as 
his  fears  may  compel  him  to  part  with ; 
but  if  his  courage  should  revive,  as  it  may, 
and  if  he  should  come  without  the  docu 
ments,  I  want  to  put  him  under  the  stress 
telling  me  where  they  are  to  be  found ; 
and  then  I  desire  that  he  should  never  speak 
again !" 

Quong  Lung  darted  a  look  full  of  danger 
ous  meaning  at  Ray. 

"  Why  don't  you  employ  your  regular 
bull-dogs  to  attend  to  this  unpleasant  affair, 
Quong  Lung?" 

"  Because  their  methods  are  coarse  and 
their  weapons  clumsy." 

"  But  it  is  deuced  risky  to  be  an  acces 
sory  before  the  fact  in  a  murder  case,  my 
friend." 

"  No,  no,  Jim,  not  murder  !    Call  it,  rather, 
'the   sudden  death  of  an  unknown  coolie, 
from  unknown  causes.5 ' 
•    254 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

"  And  the  consideration  for  me  *?" 

"  Two  hundred  dollars  now,"  said  Quong 
Lung,  laying  a  pile  of  notes  on  the  platform 
on  which  they  were  smoking,  "and  two 
hundred  more  after  the  thing  is  over." 

"And  if  I  refuse?" 

Quong  Lung  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  ^  ^ <>  •  | 
said,  in  an  indifferent  tone  of  voice,  "  Life 
without  opium,  and  without  means  of  ob 
taining  it,  were  hell,  as  you  know.  Besides, 
so  many  accidents  are  constantly  happening 
in  Chinatown." 

"Very  well,"  replied  the  other,  rising 
languidly  to  his  feet  and  thrusting  the  notes 
into  his  pocket, — "  very  well.  You  must  let 
me  have  entire  possession  of  this  room  for  the 
next  two  days,  and  provide  such  assistance 
and  implements  as  I  may  require." 

As  he  was  leaving  the  room  he  stopped  to 

smell  a  tuberose  that  stood  on  a  bamboo 

flower-stand.      The   passing  act  seemed   to 

give  him  an  idea,  for  he  turned  suddenly  to 

255 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

Quong  Lung,  saying,  "  See  to  it,  Quong 
Lung,  that  you  provide  plenty  of  punk- 
sticks  for  the  eventful  night.  You  will  need 
them,  I  am  thinking.  And  be  good  to  this 
green  brother,"  pointing  to  the  tuberose. 


256 


IV 


CONCERNING   CHERRIES   AND    TUBE- 
ROSES 

AN  hour  before  the  time  set  for  the  arrival 
-^  ^  of  Wau  Shun,  Ray  called  Quong  Lung 
into  the  room  wherein  he  had  labored  almost 
incessantly  during  the  past  two  days. 

"  All's  done,"  he  said,  "  save  only  the 
payment  of  my  dues." 

"  Proceed,"  returned  Quong  Lung,  laying 
ten  double  eagles  on  the  table  and  seating 
himself  on  his  favorite  ebony  chair. 

Ray  eyed  him  curiously  while  he  pocketed 
the  money,  and  the  Chinaman,  who  seemed 
to  notice  everything,  rose  quickly  from  the 
chair,  and  said,  with  a  smile : 

"  '  How  oft  the  sight  of  means  to  do  ill  deeds, 
Makes  ill  deeds  done  !' 

Eh,  Jim  ?     Now  show  me  your  trick," 
*7  257 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"Should  somebody  you. dislike  sit  on  the 
chair  you  have  just  left,  Quong  Lung, 
pressure  on  this  button" — pointing  to  an 
innocent-looking  cherry  painted  on  a  panel 
that  hung  on  the  wall — "  would  connect 
the  chair  with  the  electric-light  wires  that 
pass  over  your  house,  and  make  your  ob 
jectionable  guest  the  recipient  of— say,  three 
thousand  volts." 

"  And  then  V 

"  And  then — slightly  altering  the  words  of 
your  favorite  poet,  to  describe  the  result — 
'his  heart  would  once  heave,  and  forever 
stand  still' ;  and  nobody  would  know  how 
your  highbinder  died." 

As  Ray  left  the  room,  he  was  again  at 
tracted  to  the  tuberose.  After  smelling  it, 
he  turned  round  and  called  to  Quong  Lung, 
saying,  "  But  you  will  not  leave  this  innocent 
in  the  room,  Quong  Lung ;  its  odor  would 
be  ruined  by  the  punks  you  will  burn,  and 

by  other  savors." 

258 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

Then  gravely  saluting  Quong  Lung,  James 
Ray  left  the  Chinaman's  house,  and  made 
his  way  to  the  office  of  the  chief  of  police    / 
of  San  Francisco,  for  even  a  dope-fiend  has   i      V 
a  fragmentary  conscience. 


259 


THE   GREATER   DISCIPLINE 

WHILE  Ray  told  his  story  to  the  chief 
of  police,  with  all  the  circumstance 
and  detail  that  would  exonerate  him  and 
implicate  Quong  Lung,  the  latter  met  Wau 
Shun  at  his  outer  door,  and,  holding  him 
by  the  hand,  escorted  him  to  his  chamber, 
which  was  dim  with  the  smoke  of  many 
burning  punks  the  odor  of  which  filled  the 
air. 

"  Those  who  are  true  to  me,  Wau  Shun, 
will  always  find  that  my  '  ways  are  ways  of 
pleasantness,  arid  all  my  paths  are  peace,' " 
said  Quong  Lung,  softly  misquoting  the 
Psalmist. 

"  Thy  house,   Far  Reacher,  is  the  well- 
known  dwelling  of  pleasantness  and  peace." 
260 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

When  Quong  Lung  would  -have  seated 
Wau  Shun  on  the  chair  of  which  the  high 
binder  had  such  a.  lively  recollection,  the 
coolie  shook  his  head,  saying,  "  Nay,  who  is 
thy  slave  that  he  should  sit  in  the  presence 
of  the  Most  Powerful.  The  ground  thou 
treadest  is  good  enough  for  him."  And 
Wau  Shun  squatted  on  the  floor  before  his 
chief. 

"  There  is  no  harm  in  the  chair,  Wau 
Shun,"  said  Quong  Lung,  seating  himself  on 
it  carelessly ;  "  no  harm  unless,  indeed,  the 
sitter  tell  lies  or  have  deceit  in  his  heart." 
Then,  after  a  pause,  he  went  on :  "  The 
writings  of  Lee  Toy — thou  hast  brought 
them  ?" 

"  Of  a  surety,"  replied  Wau  Shun,  pro 
ducing  a  packet  of  papers  from  his  blouse. 

After  Quong  Lung  had  looked  through 
them,  and  satisfied  himself  that  they  were 
authentic  and  complete,  he  said :  "  Wau 

Shun,  the  white  devils  say  that  virtue  is  its 
261 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

own  reward ;  but  that  would  be  poor  reward 
for  such  virtuous  actions  as  thine.  Thou 
shalt  drink  with  me  first,  and  then  expound 
to  me  how  I  may  lighten  the  burden  of 
obligations  thou  hast  laid  on  me." 

He  went  to  the  table,  and  pouring  out  two 
glasses  of  spirits,  he  advanced  with  them  on 
a  tray  to  the  squatting  coolie. 

After  they  had  drunk,  Quong  Lung  re 
sumed  his  seat,  and  lighting  a  cigar,  he  said  : 
"  It  is  not  meet  that  he  who  hath  saved  my 
life  this  day  should  crouch  on  the  ground 
like  a  dog.  Let  Wau  Shun  take  my  own 
particular  chair,  whereon  none  have  sat  save 
those  I  would  honor — nay,  I  insist ;"  and 
Quong  Lung  pointed  to  the  great  chair  of 
ebony,  broad  enough  to  accommodate  two 
men  such  as  himself.  It  was  adorned  with  a 
shield  of  bronze,  richly  carved  and  inlaid, 
that  formed  its  back ;  and  it  stood  on  a  dais 
of  burnished  copper,  and  might  have  been 

the  throne  of  an  Oriental   potentate;    and 

262 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

behind  it  was  a  mirror  which  reflected  the 
exquisite  carving  on  its  back. 

When  Wau  Shun,  after  much  protesta 
tion,  had  ensconced  himself  in  a  corner  of  the 
great  chair,  Quong  Lung  once  more  filled  the 
glasses  and  again  they  drank  in  silence. 

"And  now,  Wau  Shun,  though  I  can 
not  weigh  my  gold  against  thy  services  to 
me,  yet,  I  pray  thee,  name  some  reward  that 
will  not  put  me  to  shame  to  bestow  on  thee." 

"  Will  the  payment  of  fifty  dollars  afflict 
thee,  my  lord  *?" 

"  Nay,  Wau  Shun,  that  is  the  due  of  but 
a  part  of  thy  merits, — the  slaying  of  Sam 
Lee,  for  instance.  Here  is  more  for  thy 
other  many  good  deeds,"  and  Quong  Lung 
tossed  on  the  table  a  heavy  bag  that  chinked 
opulently.  "  Moreover,"  he  continued,  "now 
that  Lee  Toy,  our  keenest  hatchet,  is  dead, 
some  worthy  successor  to  him  must  be 
found,  and  who  so  worthy  as  Wau  Shun,  the 
slayer  of  the  uncommon  slain,  Lee  Toy  *?" 
263 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

"Further,  Instigator,"  interrupted  Wau 
Shun,  squinting  atrociously,  for  the  liquor 
had  begun  to  mount  to  his  head  ;  "  further, 
it  seems  to  me  that  if  anything  happened  to 
thee — which  God  forbid  ! — /  might  be  found 
worthy  to  sit  in  this  thy  chair  by  reason  of 
thy  recommendation,  and — my  worthiness." 

"  Of  course,  of  course,5'  said  Quong  Lung, 
looking  at  the  point  of  his  cigar  and  cross 
ing  his  knees.  "  The  See  Yups  have  need 
of  strong  men,  and  who  so  strong  as  Wau 
Shun  !  Drink  once  more  to  thy  worthiness." 

After  they  had  disposed  of  the  liquor  and 
smoked  a  while,  Wau  Shun  said  familiarly 
and  half-insolently,  "  Quong  Lung,  thou 
owest  me  reparation  for  thy  insults  of  two 
nights  ago  ;  and  seeing  thou  art  seated  on  the 
chair  of  humiliation"  (here  Wau  Shun  lapsed 
into  impudent  vernacular),  "  you  must  needs 
do  as  I  say  or  be  twisted  out  of  shape." 

"  What !"  exclaimed  Quong  Lung,  putting 
one  hand  carelessly  behind  his  head  and 
264 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

resting  the  other  against  the  adjacent  wall, 
whereon  was  a  painted  panel  that  glowed 
with  cherries — "  what,  wouldst  thou  plague 
me?" 

"Nay,  but  I  would  discipline  you,"  said 
Wau  Shun,  thickly ;  "  I  would  discipline 
you  with  cramps,  if  need  were." 

"  And  cramps  only  *?"  asked  Quong  Lung, 
toying  with  the  flower-painted  panel. 
"  'Twere  dangerous  to  play  with  me  so  lightly. 
Cramps  cannot  touch  me  and  are  for  fools 
alone." 

"  Then  I  would  kill  you  otherwise,  smooth, 
fat  hog !" 

"  Have  at  thee,  Wau  Shun  !"  exclaimed 
Quong  Lung  fiercely,  pressing  the  fatal 
cherry  :  and  Wau  Shun,  sitting  in  the  corner 
of  the  gorgeous  chair,  stiffened  into  a  fright 
ful  attitude,  and  then  began  writhing  dread 
fully.  To  the  heavy  punk-laden  atmosphere 
of  the  room  was  added  an  odor  of  burning 
flesh. 

265 


The  Shadow  of  Quong  Lung 

Quong  Lung  rose  from  his  seat  and  crossed 
the  room  to  where  his  victim  was  being 
electrocuted.  "  Ho,  ho,  ho  !"  he  laughed 
softly  :  "  excellent  Jim,  most  excellent  Jim  !" 
As  he  watched  the  grim  murder  enacting 
before  him,  he  saw,  reflected  in  the  mirror 
behind  the  chair  of  doom,  the  door  that  led 
into  the  room  slowly  open,  and  James  Ray 
and  a  detective  well  known  to  Quong  Lung 
entered  swiftly. 

^  "  Throw  up  your  hands,  Quong  Lung !" 

^Jf\   j     commanded  the  officer,  as  he  covered  the 
v;     Chinaman  with  his  pistol. 

Taken  in  the  midst  of  his  crime,  Quong 
Lung  started  and,  backing  against  the  fatal 
chair,  he  fell  on  the  seat  beside  his  victim 
with  a  yell,  as  the  tremendous  current  shot 
through  him,  killing  him  instantly. 

"  Turn  off  the  current,  Ray.  For  God's 
sake,  be  quick  !"  shouted  the  officer,  as  the 
bodies  writhed  and  twisted  on  the  chair  of 

death. 

266 


The  Seats  of  Judgment 

"  Yes,  yes,"  came  the  leisurely  reply,  as 
Ray  took  the  tuberose  from  the  flower-stand ; 
"  there  will  be  plenty  of  time  after  I  have 
removed  this  sweet  tenderling  from  this 
horrible  atmosphere." 


THE    END. 


267 


The  Ape,  the  Idiot, 
and  Other  People. 

STARTLING    AND    UNCANNY    TALES    BY 

W.  C.  MORROW. 

izmo. 
Ornamantally  Bound,  Deckle  Edges,  $1.25. 


"There  are  fourteen  stories  in  the  volume.  Any 
one  of  them  is  of  sufficient  distinction  to  give  its 
writer  position  with  the  best  short  story  writers  of 
the  day.  Mr.  Morrow  puts  into  his  stories  all  those 
marks  which  commend  him  and  them  to  the  praise 
of  the  appreciative.  He  is  strikingly  original  in 
everything  ;  his  style  is  fresh,  his  English  is  pure, 
his  imagery  is  buoyant,  his  measure  of  human 
nature  and  character  is  accurate,  and  to  this  he  adds 
individualizing  charms,  unnamable  and  innumer 
able,  to  be  understood  only  in  reading  his  stories." 
—  Washington  Times. 

* 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS,  PHILADELPHIA. 


A  HAND-BOOK  OF  CUBA,  PORTO  RICO, 

HAWAII,  AND  THE  PHILIPPINE 

ISLANDS. 


Our  Island  Empire. 

BY 

CHARLES  MORRIS 

Author  of 
"The  Nation's  Navy,"  "The  War  with  Spain,"  etc. 


With  Maps.      izmo.     Cloth,  $1.50. 


"That  section  of  the  work  devoted  to  the 
Philippines,  and  which  will  doubtless  be  found 
of  greatest  present  interest,  is  surprisingly  full. 
It  gives  a  short  historical  sketch,  bringing  matters 
down  to  the  capture  of  the  city  of  Manila  and 
the  opening  of  hostilities  with  the  insurgents.  '  ' 
—  Times,  Philadelphia. 

0 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS,    PHILADELPHIA. 


««  The  Most  Notable  New  Book  of  the  Hour." 

— Philadelphia  Record. 
THE  NEW  GREAT  LITERARY  SUCCESS. 

The 
Taming  of  the  Jungle. 

BY 

DR.  C.  W.  DOYLE. 

llmo.    Cloth,  ornamental,  $1.00. 

0 

"'The  Taming  of  the  Jungle'  is  one  of  the 
most  striking  books  of  Indian  life  that  we  have 
seen  since  Mr.  Kipling  produced  his  'Plain 
Tales  from  the  Hills,'  and  it  does  not  suffer  by 
comparison  with  the  work  that  made  Mr.  Kip 
ling  famous.  Indeed,  if  Dr.  Doyle  had  been 
first  in  the  field  we  venture  to  think  that  Mr. 
Kipling's  work  would  have  been  adjudged  less 
good  than  this  later  effort. ' ' — New  York  Litera 
ture. 

0 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS,    PHILADELPHIA. 


The  Wind-jammers 

BY 
T.  JENKINS  HAINS, 

Author  of  "  Captain  Gore's  Courtship,"  etc. 
izmo.      Cloth,  ornamental,  $1.25. 


"  Written  by  a  man  who  has  been  down  to  the 
sea  in  ships,  and  who  knows  his  business.  '  The 
Wind-Jammers'  are  mainly  to  be  commended 
for  their  truth  and  dramatic  power." — The  San 
Francisco  Chronicle, 

"  Wind-jammers  are  the  seafaring  men  whose 
usual  voyage  is  from  one  South  American  port 
to  another  around  Cape  Horn.  The  stories  are 
all  entertaining.  They  are  well  told  and  have 
the  real  sea  flavor." — New  York  Sun. 

"It  is  a  stirring  sea  tale  that  will  appeal  to 
the  heart  of  every  lover  of  romances  of  the  briny 
deep. ' ' — Buffalo  Review. 

© 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS,    PHILADELPHIA. 


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